D 1186 - 93 PDF
D 1186 - 93 PDF
D 1186 - 93 PDF
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Designation: D 1186 – 93
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
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D 1186
necessary when coating large areas such as metal structures 7.4 Lay a calibration shim on the bare, uncoated substrate
and coils. This test method is used to measure film thickness of and bring the instrument magnet in direct contact with the
coatings on ferrous metals. shim. Remove the magnet from the shim by slowly rotating the
dial scale ring clockwise (for helical spring-type instruments)
5. Apparatus or lifting the entire instrument housing (for coil spring-type
5.1 Permanent Magnet, small, either attached directly to a instruments). Hold the shim so that it will not flex during
coil spring (“pencil” gage)4 or to a horizontal lever arm which calibration, causing the magnet to lift prematurely. Observe the
is attached to a helical spring (“banana” gage).5 Increasing thickness shown on the instrument scale at the moment when
force is applied to the magnet by extending the coil spring in the magnet breaks contact with the surface.
the first case or turning a graduated dial that coils the helical 7.5 If the instrument scale reading does not agree with the
spring in the second. The readings obtained are shown directly shim thickness, calibration is required. This can be accom-
on the instrument scale or converted by reference to a plished by physical calibration or by drafting a calibration
calibration curve. curve. A calibration curve involves plotting a graph with the
5.2 Nonmagnetic Thickness Shims or Polished Metal Certi- actual gage reading on one axis and the shim reading on the
fication Calibration Standards6—Shims with assigned values other. For physical calibration, consult the manufacturer’s
traceable to National Standards are available, but when shims instructions.
are used that are not traceable to National Standards, the
NOTE 3—Instruments based on the scale dial ring/helical spring can be
thickness must be measured to the nearest 0.1 mil (2.5 µm)
calibrated and used in any position, while those based on the coil spring
using a micrometer as described in Procedure D in Test Method must be calibrated and used in the vertical position only.
D 1005.
8. Calibration of Apparatus—Polished Metal Calibration
6. Test Specimens Standards
6.1 When this test method is used in the field, the specimen 8.1 Follow 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3.
is the coated structure or article on which the thickness is to be 8.2 Place the gage directly on the calibration standard. If the
evaluated. instrument scale reading does not agree with the shim thick-
6.2 For laboratory use, apply the materials to be tested to ness, calibration is required as in 7.5.
panels of the composition and surface conditions on which it is 8.3 After the gage is calibrated, take ten readings on the
desired to determine the thickness. bare, prepared substrate. Record the mean of these readings.
NOTE 1—Applicable test panel description and surface preparation This is a correction for variations of magnetic attraction due to
methods are given in Practice D 609. the roughness of the substrate.
NOTE 2—Coatings should be applied in accordance with Practices 8.4 Subtract the value obtained in 8.3 when measuring the
D 823 or as agreed upon between the purchaser and the seller. coating thickness to obtain the corrected thickness of the paint.
7. Calibration of Apparatus NOTE 4—More information on this calibration test method is described
in SSPC-PA 2.
7.1 Calibrate the instrument in an area free of stray mag-
netic fields, such as power lines, generators, or welding 9. Procedure
equipment. There shall be no vibration apparent on the test 9.1 Use the instrument only after it has been calibrated in
piece when the instrument is being calibrated. accordance with Section 7 or 8.
7.2 Use a bare section of the substrate after the specified 9.2 Assure that the coating is dry prior to use of the
surface preparation has been accomplished. If an uncoated instrument.
section of the substrate is not available, uncoated test panels 9.3 Inspect the magnet tip and surface to be measured to
similar to the type on which the specified surface preparation assure that they are clean. Adherent magnetic filings or other
has been performed may be used. surface contaminants will affect gage readings.
7.3 Select calibration shims in the expected thickness range 9.4 Take readings in locations free of vibration, electrical, or
to be measured. For example, if a coating is approximately 3 magnetic fields.
mils (75 µm) in thickness, calibrate the instrument at 3 mils. 9.5 If thickness readings are found to be outside the cali-
Then check the calibration, using shims of both a lesser and bration range established in 7.3, repeat the calibration proce-
greater thickness, to determine the thickness range over which dure in the appropriate range. Check the calibration before,
the instrument is calibrated. The limits of this range are set at during, and after each use to ensure that the instrument
the points where the gage no longer registers the shim continues to read properly. If the instrument is found to be out
thickness within the manufacturer’s stated accuracy (for ex- of adjustment, remeasure the thicknesses taken since the last
ample, 615 %). satisfactory calibration check was made.
9.6 Take a sufficient number of readings to characterize the
4
Apparatus of the “pencil” (coil spring) type found to be typical are shown in surface.
Table 1. 9.6.1 For laboratory measurements, a recommended mini-
5
Apparatus of the “banana” (helical spring) type found to be typical are shown mum is three for a 3 by 6-in. (75 by 150-mm) panel and more
in Table 1.
6
Polished metal standards for this purpose are available from U.S. Department
in proportion to size.
of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Standard Reference 9.6.2 For field measurements, a recommended minimum is
Material Program, Building 202, Room 204, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. five determinations at random for every 100 ft2 (10 m2) of
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D 1186
surface area. Each of the five determinations should be the found. Depending upon the application, it may be useful to
mean of three separate gage readings within the area of a 1⁄2-in. record the individual readings as well.
(12-mm) diameter circle.
9.7 Make measurements at least 1 in. (25 mm) away from 11. Precision and Bias
any edge or corner of the specimen. If it is necessary to 11.1 On the basis of an interlaboratory study of this test
measure closer than 1 in., recheck the calibration in the specific method, conducted to determine the precision of several types
area to determine the extent of the effect (if any) the edge has of instrument in measuring a wide range of coating thick-
on the measurement. nesses, the intralaboratory and interlaboratory coefficients of
variation, calculated using procedures described in Practice
10. Report D 3980 were found to be those shown in Table 1 for the
10.1 Report the following information: the instrument used, instrument evaluated. Based upon these coefficients, the fol-
serial number, range, and mean of the thickness readings lowing criteria should be used for judging, at the 95 %
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D 1186
confidence level, the acceptability of results: 15.2 Hold the instrument contact or probe handle firmly on
11.1.1 Repeatability—Two results, each the mean of four the surface and perpendicular to the measuring plane during
measurements, obtained by the same operator using the same calibration and use. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
instrument should be considered suspect if they differ by more the specific adjustment of the instrument.
than the maximum allowable difference values given in Table
NOTE 5—The probe-type instruments can be calibrated and used in any
1 for the appropriate film thickness.
position, but the integral-magnet type must be recalibrated or calibration
11.1.2 Reproducibility—Two results, each the mean of four verified for each position of use.
measurements, obtained by operators in different laboratories,
each obtained using instruments from the same category, 16. Procedure
should be suspect if they differ by more than the maximum
16.1 Follow the steps outlined in 9.1-9.3.
allowable difference values shown in Table 1.
11.2 Bias—The bias for Test Method A of this standard for 16.2 Take measurements no closer than 1 in. (25 mm) to an
measuring dry film thickness cannot be determined because edge or 3 in. (75 mm) to another mass of steel. If such
each instrument has its own bias. measurements are necessary, recheck the calibration in the
specific area to determine the effect the edge or mass of steel
TEST METHOD B—MAGNETIC FLUX GAGES has on the instrument reading.
12. Summary of Test Method
17. Report
12.1 After calibrating the instrument using shims of known
thickness and either a bare part of the metal object or metal of 17.1 Report the following information: the instrument used,
the same kind, the instrument probe is placed in contact with serial number, range, and mean of the thickness readings
the coated metal. Instruments of this type determine, within the found. Depending upon the application, it may be useful to
probe of the instrument itself, changes in the magnetic flux record the individual readings as well.
caused by variations in the distance between the magnet and
the substrate. 18. Precision and Bias
12.2 It should be recognized that the accuracy of the 18.1 Precision—On the basis of an interlaboratory study of
measurements may be influenced when made closer than 1 in. this test method in which several types of instruments were
(25 mm) to an edge or 3 in. (75 mm) to another mass of metal. used in various laboratories to measure a wide range of
The edge or mass of the steel may cause flux leakage from the dry-film thickness on the same set of panels, the intra- and
instrument, thus distorting the readings. interlaboratory coefficients of variation, calculated using pro-
13. Apparatus cedures described in Practice D 3980, were found to be as
shown in Table 1. Based upon these coefficients the following
13.1 The testing apparatus shall be mechanically or electri- criteria should be used for judging, at the 95 % confidence
cally operated. Mechanically operated instruments house an level, the acceptability of results:
internal horseshoe magnet, the contacts of which are placed
directly on the coated substrate.7 Electrically operated instru- 18.1.1 Repeatability—Two results, each the mean of four
ments utilize a separate instrument probe that houses the measurements, obtained by the same operator using instru-
magnet or coil energized by alternating current and is placed ments from the same category should be considered suspect if
directly on the surface.8 In both types, the coating thickness is they differ by more than the maximum allowable difference
shown on the instrument scale or meter. values given in Table 1 for the appropriate film thickness.
18.1.2 Reproducibility—Two results, each the mean of four
14. Test Specimens measurements, obtained by operators in different laboratories
14.1 The test specimens described in Section 6 are also using instruments from the same category should be considered
applicable to Test Method B. Refer to the manufacturer’s suspect if they differ by more than the maximum allowable
instructions when measuring paint thicknesses on substrates difference values given in Table 1 for the appropriate film
less than 1⁄8 in. thickness. thickness.
18.2 Bias—The bias for Test Method A of this standard for
15. Calibration of Apparatus
measuring dry film thickness cannot be determined because
15.1 Follow the steps outlined in 7.1-7.3. each instrument has its own bias.
7
Apparatus of the mechanical type found to be typical for this purpose are shown 19. Keywords
in Table 1.
8
Apparatus of the probe type found to be typical for this purpose are shown in 19.1 coating thickness; dry film thickness; magnetic gages;
Table 1. nondestructive thickness; paint thickness
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D 1186
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if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
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