7MethodsofCoatingThicknessMeasurement

ByDavidBeamish(/contributors/davidbeamish),March6,2017

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Takeaway:Thecorrectgaugetousedependsonthethicknessrangeofthecoating,theshapeandtypeofsubstrate,thecostof
thegaugeandhowcriticalitistogetanaccuratemeasurement.

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Coatingthicknessisanimportantvariablethatplaysaroleinproductquality,processcontrolandcostcontrol.Measurementof
filmthickness(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/5515/filmthickness)canbedonewithmanydifferentinstruments.
Understandingtheequipmentthatisavailableforfilmthicknessmeasurementandhowtouseitisusefultoeverycoating
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/286/coatingcorrosion)operation.(Forbackgroundinformation,seeTheImpactof
Minimum&MaximumDFTValuesonCoatingPerformance
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/2/3068/environments/marine/theimpactofminimummaximumdftvaluesoncoating
performance).)
Theissuesthatdeterminewhatmethodisbestforagivencoatingmeasurementincludethetypeofcoating,thesubstrate
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/1044/substrate)material,thethicknessrangeofthecoating,thesizeandshapeof
thepartandthecostoftheequipment.Commonlyusedmeasuringtechniquesforcuredorganicfilms
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/5743/organiccoating)includenondestructive
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/1239/nondestructivetestingndtcorrosion)dryfilmmethodssuchasmagnetic,
eddycurrent,ultrasonicormicrometermeasurementandalsodestructivedryfilmmethodssuchascrosssectioningor
gravimetric(mass)measurement.Methodsarealsoavailableforpowder
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/920/powdercoating)andliquidcoatingstomeasurethefilmbeforeitiscured.

MagneticFilmThicknessGauges
Magneticfilmgauges(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/2092/dryfilmthicknessgaugemagnetic)areusedto
nondestructivelymeasurethethicknessofanonmagneticcoatingonferrous
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/5269/ferrousmetal)substrates.Mostcoatingsonsteelandironaremeasuredthis
way.Magneticgaugesuseoneoftwoprinciplesofoperation:magneticpullofformagnetic/electromagneticinduction.

MagneticPulloffThicknessGauges
Magneticpulloffgauges(http://www.defelsko.com/positest/positest.htm)useapermanentmagnet,acalibratedspringanda
graduatedscale.Theattractionbetweenthemagnetandmagneticsteelpullsthetwotogether.Asthecoatingthicknessseparating
thetwoincreases,itbecomeseasiertopullthemagnetaway.Coatingthicknessisdeterminedbymeasuringthispulloffforce.
Thinnercoatingswillhavestrongermagneticattractionwhilethickerfilmswillhavecomparativelylessmagneticattraction.
Testingwithmagneticgaugesissensitivetosurfaceroughness,curvature,substratethicknessandthemakeupofthemetalalloy
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/6195/alloy).
Magneticpulloffgauges(http://www.defelsko.com/positest/positest.htm)arerugged,simple,inexpensive,portableandusually
donotrequireanycalibrationadjustment.Theyareagood,lowcostalternativeinsituationswherequalitygoalsrequireonlya
fewreadingsduringproduction.
Pulloffgaugesaretypicallypenciltypeorrollbackdialmodels.Penciltypemodels(Figure1)useamagnetthatismountedtoa
helicalspringthatworksperpendicularlytothecoatedsurface.Mostpenciltypepulloffgaugeshavelargemagnetsandare
designedtoworkinonlyoneortwopositions,whichpartiallycompensateforgravity.Moreaccurateversionsareavailablewith
tiny,precisemagnetstomeasureonsmall,hotorhardtoreachsurfaces.Atripleindicatorensuresaccuratemeasurementswhen
thegaugeispointeddown,uporhorizontallywithatoleranceof10%.
Figure1.Penciltypemagneticpulloffthicknessgauge.
Rollbackdialmodels(Figure2)arethemostcommonformofmagneticpulloffgauge
(http://www.defelsko.com/positest/positest.htm).Amagnetisattachedtooneendofapivotingbalancedarmandconnectedtoa
calibratedhairspring.Byrotatingthedialwithafinger,thespringincreasestheforceonthemagnetandpullsitfromthesurface.
Thesegaugesareeasytouseandhaveabalancedarmthatallowsthemtoworkinanyposition,independentofgravity.Theyare
safeinexplosiveenvironmentsandarecommonlyusedbypaintingcontractorsandsmallpowdercoatingoperations.Typical
toleranceis5%.
Figure2.Rollbackdialmagneticpulloffthicknessgauge.

MagneticandElectromagneticInductionInstruments
Magneticinductioninstruments(http://www.defelsko.com/p6000/positector6000.htm)(Figure3)useapermanentmagnetas
thesourceofthemagneticfield.AHalleffectgeneratorormagnetoresistorisusedtosensethemagneticfluxdensityatapoleof
themagnet.Electromagneticinductioninstruments(http://www.defelsko.com/p6000/positector6000.htm)useanalternating
magneticfield.Asoft,ferromagneticrodwoundwithacoiloffinewireisusedtoproduceamagneticfield.Asecondcoilofwireis
usedtodetectchangesinmagneticflux.
Theseelectronicinstrumentsmeasurethechangeinmagneticfluxdensityatthesurfaceofamagneticprobeasitnearsasteel
surface.Themagnitudeofthefluxdensityattheprobesurfaceisdirectlyrelatedtothedistancefromthesteelsubstrate.By
measuringfluxdensitythecoatingthicknesscanbedetermined.
Figure3.Electronicmagneticinductionthicknessgauges.
Electronicmagneticgaugescomeinmanyshapesandsizes.Theycommonlyuseaconstantpressureprobetoprovideconsistent
readingsthatarenotinfluencedbydifferentoperators.Readingsareshownonaliquidcrystaldisplay(LCD).Theycanhave
optionstostoremeasurementresults,performinstantanalysisofreadings,andoutputresultstoaprinterorcomputerforfurther
examination.Typicaltoleranceis1%.
Themanufacturersinstructionsshouldbecarefullyfollowedformostaccurateresults.StandardtestmethodsareavailableinD
7091,ISO2178andISO2808.

EddyCurrentThicknessGauges
Eddycurrenttechniquesareusedtonondestructivelymeasurethethicknessofnonconductivecoatingsonnonferrousmetal
substrates.Acoiloffinewireconductingahighfrequencyalternatingcurrent(above1MHz)isusedtosetupanalternating
magneticfieldatthesurfaceoftheinstrument'sprobe.Whentheprobeisbroughtnearaconductivesurface,thealternating
magneticfieldwillsetupeddycurrentsonthesurface.Thesubstratecharacteristicsandthedistanceoftheprobefromthe
substrate(thecoatingthickness)affectthemagnitudeoftheeddycurrents.Theeddycurrentscreatetheirownopposing
electromagneticfieldthatcanbesensedbytheexcitingcoilorbyasecond,adjacentcoil.(Moreinformationabouteddycurrent
testingcanbefoundinthearticleCUIDetectionTechniquesforProcessPipelinesPart2
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/2/5364/corrosionunderinsulationcui/cuidetectiontechniquesforprocesspipelinespart
2).)
Eddycurrentcoatingthicknessgauges(http://www.defelsko.com/p6000/positector6000.htm)lookandoperatelikeelectronic
magneticgauges.Theyareusedtomeasurecoatingthicknessoverallnonferrousmetals.Likemagneticelectronicgauges,they
commonlyuseaconstantpressureprobeanddisplayresultsonanLCD.Theycanalsohaveoptionstostoremeasurementresults
orperforminstantanalysisofreadingsandoutputtoaprinterorcomputerforfurtherexamination.Thetypicaltoleranceis1%.
Testingissensitivetosurfaceroughness,curvature,substratethickness,typeofmetalsubstrateanddistancefromanedge.
StandardmethodsfortheapplicationandperformanceofthistestareavailableinASTMB244,ASTMD7091andISO2360.
Itisnowcommonforgaugestoincorporatebothmagneticandeddycurrentprinciplesintooneunit.Somesimplifythetaskof
measuringmostcoatingsoveranymetalbyswitchingautomaticallyfromoneprincipleofoperationtotheother,dependingupon
thesubstrate.Thesecombinationunitsarepopularwithpaintersandpowdercoaters.

UltrasonicThicknessGauges
Theultrasonicpulseechotechniqueofultrasonicgauges(http://www.defelsko.com/p200/positector200.htm)isusedto
measurethethicknessofcoatingsonnonmetalsubstrates(plastic,wood,etc.)withoutdamagingthecoating.
Figure4.Ultrasonicgaugecanmeasurethethicknessofcoatingsonnonmetallicsubstrates.
Theprobeoftheinstrumentcontainsanultrasonictransducerthatsendsapulsethroughthecoating.Thepulsereflectsback
fromthesubstratetothetransducerandisconvertedintoahighfrequencyelectricalsignal.Theechowaveformisdigitizedand
analyzedtodeterminecoatingthickness.Insomecircumstances,individuallayersinamultilayersystemcanbemeasured.
Typicaltoleranceforthisdeviceis3%.StandardmethodsfortheapplicationandperformanceofthistestareavailableinASTM
D6132.

MicrometerThicknessGauges
Micrometersaresometimesusedtocheckcoatingthickness.Theyhavetheadvantageofmeasuringanycoating/substrate
combinationbutthedisadvantageofrequiringaccesstothebaresubstrate.Therequirementtotouchboththesurfaceofthe
coatingandtheundersideofthesubstratecanbelimitingandtheyareoftennotsensitiveenoughtomeasurethincoatings.
Twomeasurementsmustbetaken:onewiththecoatinginplaceandtheotherwithout.Thedifferencebetweenthetworeadings,
theheightvariation,istakentobethecoatingthickness.Onroughsurfaces,micrometersmeasurecoatingthicknessabovethe
highestpeak.

DestructiveTests
Onedestructivetechniqueistocutthecoatedpartinacrosssectionandmeasurethefilmthicknessbyviewingthecut
microscopically.Anothercrosssectioningtechniqueusesascaledmicroscopetoviewageometricincisionthroughthedryfilm
coating.Aspecialcuttingtoolisusedtomakeasmall,preciseVgroovethroughthecoatingandintothesubstrate.Gaugesare
availablethatcomecompletewithcuttingtipsandanilluminatedscaledmagnifier.
Whiletheprinciplesofthisdestructivemethodareeasytounderstand,thereareopportunitiesformeasuringerror.Ittakesskill
topreparethesampleandinterprettheresults.Adjustingthemeasurementreticuletoajaggedorindistinctinterfacemaycreate
inaccuracy,particularlybetweendifferentoperators.Thismethodisusedwheninexpensive,nondestructivemethodsarenot
possible,orasawayofconfirmingnondestructiveresults.ASTMD4138outlinesastandardmethodforthismeasurement
system.

GravimetricThicknessGauges
Bymeasuringthemassandareaofthecoating,thicknesscanbedetermined.Thesimplestmethodistoweighthepartbeforeand
aftercoating.Oncethemassandareahavebeendetermined,thethicknessiscalculatedusingthefollowingequation:
T=(mx10)/(Axd)
whereTisthethicknessinmicrometers,misthemassofthecoatinginmilligrams,Aistheareatestedinsquarecentimeters,
anddisthedensityingramspercubiccentimeter.
Itisdifficulttorelatethemassofthecoatingtothicknesswhenthesubstrateisroughorthecoatinguneven.Laboratoriesarebest
equippedtohandlethistimeconsumingandoftendestructivemethod.

ThicknessMeasurementbeforeCure
Wetfilmthickness(WFT)gauges(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/1273/wetfilmthicknessgauge)helpdetermine
howmuchmaterialtoapplywettoachieveaspecifieddryfilmthickness(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/1249/dry
filmthicknessdft)providedthatthepercentofsolidsbyvolumeisknown.Theymeasurealltypesofwetorganiccoatings,such
aspaint,varnish(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/1141/varnish)andlacquer
(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/711/lacquer)onflatorcurvedsmoothsurfaces.
Measuringwetfilmthicknessduringtheapplicationidentifiestheneedforimmediatecorrectionandadjustmentbythe
applicator.Correctionofthefilmafterithasdriedorchemicallycuredrequirescostlyextralabortime,mayleadtocontamination
ofthefilmandmayintroduceproblemsofcoatingadhesion(https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/2572/coating
adhesion)andintegrityofthecoatingsystem.
Theequationsfordeterminingthecorrectwetfilmthickness(WFT),bothwithandwithoutthinner,areasfollows:
Withoutthinner:
WFT=(desireddryfilmthickness)/(%ofsolidsbyvolume)
Withthinner:
WFT=(desireddryfilmthickness/%ofsolidsbyvolume)/(100%+%ofthinneradded)
Wetfilmismostoftenmeasuredwithawetfilmcomborwheel.Thewetfilmcombisaflataluminum,plasticorstainlesssteel
platewithcalibratednotchesontheedgeofeachface.Thegaugeisplacedsquarelyandfirmlyontothesurfacetobemeasured
immediatelyaftercoatingapplicationandthenremoved.Thewetfilmthicknessliesbetweenthehighestcoatednotchandthe
nextuncoatednotch.Notchedgaugemeasurementsareneitheraccuratenorsensitive,buttheyareusefulindetermining
approximatewetfilmthicknessofcoatingsonarticleswheresizeandshapeprohibittheuseofmoreprecisemethods.(SeeASTM
D1212.)
Thegaugeshouldbeusedonsmoothsurfaces,freefromirregularitiesandshouldbeusedalongthelength,notthewidth,of
curvedsurfaces.Usingawetfilmgaugeonquickdryingcoatingswillyieldinaccuratemeasurements.ASTMD4414outlinesa
standardmethodformeasurementofwetfilmthicknessbynotchgauges.
Awetfilmwheel(eccentricroller)usesthreedisks.Thegaugeisrolledinthewetfilmuntilthecenterdisktouchesthewetfilm.
Thepointwhereitmakescontactprovidesthewetfilmthickness.Powdercoatingscanbemeasuredpriortocuringwithasimple
handheldcomboranultrasonicgauge(http://www.defelsko.com/p200/positector200.htm).Theuncuredpowderfilmcomb
worksmuchthesamewayasawetfilmgauge.Thecombisdraggedthroughthepowderfilmandthethicknessliesbetweenthe
highestnumberedtooththatmadeamarkandhaspowderclingingtoit,andthenexthighesttooththatleftnomarkandhasno
powderclingingtoit.Thesegaugesarerelativelyinexpensivewithanaccuracyof5mm.Theyareonlysuitableasaguidesince
thecuredfilmmaybedifferentafterflow.Marksleftbythegaugemayaffectthecharacteristicsofthecuredfilm.
Anultrasonicdevicecanbeusednondestructivelyonuncuredpowder(http://www.defelsko.com/pc/positector_pc.htm)on
smoothmetallicsurfacestopredictthethicknessofthecuredfilm.Theprobeispositionedashortdistancefromthesurfacetobe
measuredandareadingisdisplayedontheLCDofthedevice.Measurementuncertaintyis5mm.

CoatingThicknessStandards
Coatingthicknessgaugesarecalibratedtoknownthicknessstandards.Therearemanysourcesofthicknessstandards
(http://www.defelsko.com/standards/coatingthicknessstandards.htm)butitisbesttoensuretheyaretraceabletoanational
measurementinstitutesuchasNIST(NationalInstituteofStandards&Technology).Itisalsoimportanttoverifythestandards
areatleastfourtimesasaccurateasthegaugetheywillbeusedtocalibrate.Aregularcheckagainstthesestandardsverifiesthe
gaugeisoperatingproperly.Whenreadingsdonotmeettheaccuracyspecificationofthegauge,thegaugemustbeadjustedor
repairedandthencalibratedagain.
Summary
Filmthicknessincoatingscanhaveabigimpactoncostandquality.Measurementoffilmthicknessshouldbearoutineeventfor
allcoaters.Thecorrectgaugetousedependsonthethicknessrangeofthecoating,theshapeandtypeofsubstrate,thecostofthe
gaugeandhowcriticalitistogetanaccuratemeasurement.

CorrosionpediaContentPartner
DavidBeamishisaffiliatedwithDeFelskoCorporationandcanbecontactedusingtheoptionsontheright.Forinfoonhow
weworkwithindustrypartnersclickhere.
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Email

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