Knowing how to implement the Technical Standards is the key to productivity and quality in coating projects.
by Abel De la Cruz Pérez*
Technical standards for products and services are documents containing quality specifications, definitions and terminology, test methods, practices and/or procedures, sampling techniques, etc. Technical standards are elaborated in consensus between the parties involved in the field of specialization to be standardized, that is: manufacturers of inputs, machinery or equipment, service companies, specialized commercial representatives, consumers, government sectors, business institutions, associations, professional groups, universities, organized in a set of technical standardization committees, etc.
In the simplest way, standardization, also called standardization, is an activity that consists of the elaboration, approval, dissemination and application of technical standards. We can also define standardization, as that activity that provides solutions, for repetitive applications that are basically developed, in the field of science, technology and economics, in order to achieve optimal management in a certain context.
For Latin America, and in particular for the surface treatment and coating protection industry, standardization is the fundamental basis for raising the quality, productivity and consequently the competitiveness of the companies involved. The implementation of standardization in this industrial and service sector will make it possible to consolidate the technical infrastructure of companies. The importance of its implementation lies in the fact that its main objective is the quality assurance of products / services, satisfying the expectations of our customers, the quality assurance of business organizations, in such a way that it complies with the national legislation in force in each country, acts with social responsibility and above all to face unfair competition, which constitutes a brake on the advancement of technological development, industry, the economy and the progress of technical and professional cadres. At the international level, standardization is the fundamental element in facilitating trade and technology transfer, among other countries.
It is for this reason, that the dissemination, knowledge, application and use of the Technical Standards in the Stage of Formulation, Manufacturing, Quality Control, Research, Development, Specification of Painting, Application and Maintenance of Coatings will be a crucial factor in the quality and success of the work to be done in a project of new construction coatings and maintenance.
These are the universal language of the industry, which allows us a fluid communication between all parts of the project and is the basis of every Painting Specification. Imagine for a moment that you receive a Specification without the required Cleaning Standard, it is clear that a speculation of the preparation to be carried out before applying the paint will begin, however if we cite it as a Cleaning Degree SSPC-SP10, we will understand clearly and unambiguously what is required by the client.
An example, whose error is very common and repetitive (sometimes for convenience of one of the parties) will be to specify the degree of Traction Adhesion of the Painting System according to ASTM D4541 Standard without establishing the Type of Traction Equipment (II, III, IV, V, VI) with which the test must be carried out, since we must know that using different equipment will give us different adhesion results. Another example of misinformation of the standards is to want to find in them the parameters of admissibility of some process control factors, for example: the maximum level of salts (totals, chlorides, sulfates, etc.) on the surface before painting, the maximum and minimum values of the anchoring pattern or the density of peaks, the adhesion values of the painting systems for different services, etc., without taking into account that this information comes from good practices, research, experiences and field, user or manufacturer checks, where a large number of variables intervene that do not allow the determination of standard values, etc.
Within the practices in the coatings industry, there is still a continuous need to develop standards, because we must know that not all procedures and practices used are standardized, and this can be done as long as we know, first of all, the existing standards, but above all, to have the ability to interpret them and not believe that they are documents engraved in stone.
Paint and coating suppliers need to realize that standards set out the performance requirements that everyone has to meet. Good competition should ensure that the standards set by users in the specifications are met. In practice we know that some manufacturers do not respect it, for example the case of Epoxy paints Rich in Zinc whose minimum content of Zinc powder in dry film is 85% according to SSPC- Paint Specification N° 20- Type II, Level I.
However, you will find, comparing between several brands of paints, that there is no similarity of values in this property, although its Technical Sheet mentions that it complies with the SSPC-P.S. Standard N°20. Likewise, they will also be able to verify that the prices per gallon between them have substantial differences that make us doubt that it is the same product. But how to identify these distortions? The answer is one: previously carrying out the Homologation Tests or Homologation Tests of the paints to check their technical equivalence before making any price comparison.
But, as this Homologation process is not carried out by many buyers or users and only the literature of the "technical" Sheets of the Paints are compared, it is explained that in the market there are incredibly paints rich in Epoxy Zinc SSCP- Paint Specification N°20- Type II- Level I with prices from US $ 55 to US $ 85 dollars, but obviously it is not the same product, generating unfair competition, because the user will make the acquisition of the paint through the price. The consequences of these decisions will be seen over time through premature failures or the shorter life of the painting system, generating litigation, claims, execution of guarantees, economic losses, etc.
The same goes for the famous Mastic Type Paints of High Volume of Solids and Low Price: from US $ 16 / gallon. These paints "assure the market" the volume of solids only at the level of Technical Sheet, because in practice the test method to perform this evaluation is of high precision, according to ASTM D 2697- 2003 (Reasproved 2008) Standard Test Method for Volume Nonvolatile Matter in Clear or Pigmented Coatings, which requires the implementation and specialized handling of equipment that I have seen operate in only two laboratories throughout my experience. In other words, in practice, this evaluation is commonly not performed by manufacturers under this standard test method, but theoretically by adding up the solids content of each component of the formula.
I ask: How to manufacture and provide the market with Industrial Paints of High Performance or Durability without having this laboratory equipment and highly qualified personnel?
Paint manufacturers, users or customers, paint application companies, consulting and consulting companies, training institutions, should direct their efforts to learn how to manage the Technical Standards of Coatings since this will encourage innovation, cooperation, competitiveness, global trade and quality work in our sector.
If we, as members of the industry, want to continue improving the productivity, quality and reliability of our products and services, we must understand the strategic value they add and learn to "Manage, Select and use International Technical Standards", since it will set the tone for the best practices of the coatings industry in the coming years.
* Abel De la Cruz is a Senior Coatings and Corrosion Control Consultant at American Consult Peru - ASTM International USA Instructor contact: [email protected] or visit their website: www.americanconsultperu.com
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