Auditing in the application of coatings

by: Vanesa Restrepo

The execution of projects for the application of paints and coatings involves a series of additional processes to the choice of the type of paint to be used, the necessary pretreatment and the equipment to carry it out.

The matter, then, goes through a series of technical and administrative procedures that guarantee that an application will be had in a certain time, with defined costs, properly trained personnel, equipment in good condition, adequate security measures and products designed and applied to suit the requirements of the contractor.

Here then appears one of the protagonists of any work: the intervener. Loved by some, hated by others, these personnel are responsible for making a delivery on time and in optimal conditions and, in case this does not occur, find those responsible and mediate in the processes before the insurers and between the contractors and executors of the project.

With so many responsibilities it is to be expected that the profile of an auditor is quite demanding: he must know about safety, equipment, measurement systems, operation of all painting systems, in addition to having administrative skills, personnel management, control, discipline and an impeccable organization in his documents and pending matters.

The Good Auditor
The audit is defined as the process of supervision and control that must be carried out to the applicator of the coating, based on the functions and competences defined in the contractual relationship established with the person who contracts their services, this in order to verify, during the execution, the fulfillment of the obligations, the use of the equipment and the quality of the coatings. This was stated by Engineer Henry Lizcano, from the Industrial University of Santander, Colombia, during the opening day of the course Interventoría en la Aplicación de Recubrimientos, taught by the Colombian Association of Corrosion, Ascor, and the Industrial University of Santander, in the city of Barrancabermeja, western Colombia.

Lizcano defined a professional profile for the people who carry out this work, starting with the ethical qualities, so that they can assume their functions responsibly. To this is added skills in leadership, objectivity, decision-making, integrity and impartiality.

As far as training is concerned, a good controller must be trained and certified in the knowledge of corrosion control, coatings, types of surface cleaning, coating application systems, application equipment, control and inspection methods and acceptance or rejection criteria.

To all this is added a detailed knowledge of the national and international regulations in force in the application of coatings, certified experience in corrosion control and application of coatings, in addition to demonstrating that their training and updating in all these issues is constant and current.

A lot to do

The financial controller may stop or suspend the work, as well as execute sanctions contemplated in the contract, in case the applicator fails to comply with any of the above conditions. In the same way, you must carry documentary support of all these processes (payments, purchases, etc.) for your own control and the verification of responsibilities in case any element fails.

Hands on
Once the administrative and managerial issue has been resolved, the auditor must take care of the soul of the work. According to the engineer Abel de la Cruz, Peruvian consultant, teacher of the course taught by Ascor and regular columnist of INPRA LATINA, the first step is the elaboration of the technical specifications for the anticorrosive protection, this includes the design and selection of the painting system and the procedures to be used for the application. Subsequently, it will participate in the process of supplying the products and equipment required for the application and quality control in it.

Here it is then necessary to make an assessment of the needs determined by the work: in what state it is, what surface it is, what type of protection is required, for how long, and thus develop a painting scheme with the help of the ASTM, NACE, SSPC, SIS and the others that are in force in each country.

The standards apply both for laboratory testing, surface pretreatment, paint system design, primer, coating application, curing and coating.

You should also know the technical and safety data sheets of the products to be used, and schedule meetings with the manufacturer to better understand the performance of the product and how to apply it to obtain the highest possible performance without affecting quality. The relationship between controller and manufacturer will be definitive when it comes to solving problems during the application and curing process, according to engineer Quilyam Casallas, president of Ascor.

The third function of the auditor is during the process of surface preparation and application of the coating, for this he will have the support of international regulations.

Thus, the financial controller must verify that the type of pre-treatment chosen is appropriate and that the correct means are used for its execution: granulometry of abrasives, concentration of chlorides, humidity conditions, surface hardness, temperature, etc. It will also be responsible for verifying that the roughness profile corresponds to the needs of the project and that it is the one indicated in the technical sheet of the product to be applied.

Once you start the coating application process, you must ensure that the film thicknesses are correct, that no solvent or diluent has been added to the paint above the levels allowed by the formulator and that the environmental conditions in which it is applied are as indicated.

To certify that the application was correct, the inspector will take care of the adhesion tests, either qualitative (NTC 811 – ASTM 3359) or quantitative (ASTM 4541). In case the film does not pass the tests, it will define with the applicator the correctives to be carried out.

Depending on the contractual conditions, the inspector could be responsible for subsequent monitoring of the coating to ensure its performance. In any case, it will always be important that he understands his responsibilities and the applicators learn to work with him as an ally and stop considering him an obstacle in the project.