Instruments
Familiarity with various instruments used in the course of their work is essential for coatings inspectors. They should not only know the types of instruments and how to use them but also be confident in the results they have obtained with these tools of their trade.
The company is responsible for providing all coatings inspection equipment and tools (including protective clothing).
In view of the various locations, specialist projects, and specific contracts, equipment can be categorised as follows:
1) standard basic equipment,
2) specialised equipment, and
3) specific contract equipment.
Coatings inspectors should be provided with the following standard basic equipment:
1) Whirling hygrometer or sling psychrometer
2) Dew point and relative humidity calculator
3) Digital thermometer
4) Surface profile gauge
5) Surface preparation standards books
6) Illuminated magnifying glass
7) Inspection mirror
8) Wet film thickness gauge
9) Electronic dry film thickness gauge
10) Inspection lamp
11) Camera
12) Knife or sharp paint scraper
13) Sample bags or jars
14) Marking pens or chalk
15) Masking tape or self adhesive tape.
Specialised Inspection Equipment
It should be the inspector’s responsibility to ensure the good operation and maintenance of equipment issued to him and to notify the office instantly of any loss, damage, or malfunctions.
Selected equipment may require regularly service or calibration by the manufacturer.
The inspector should inform the office earlier so a replacement can be provided.
All equipment should be used according the appropriate specification, the manufacturer’s references, the relevant standards, or as defined by the office in formally discussing with the customer.
The company should have specialised inspection equipment that would be supplied for special projects.
These items are outlined below:
SPECIALISED INSPECTION EQUIPMENT
1 Digital hygro-thermometer
2 Surface profile comparators
3 Surface profile replica tape and thickness gauge
4 Coating thickness data logger
5 Low voltage, holiday or pinhole detector
6 Paint inspection gauge (PIG)
7 Pull off adhesion tester
8 pH papers and hypodermic syringes
9 25m measuring tape
10 Hull roughness survey equipment
11 Conductivity gauge, Bresle sample patches and ancillaries essential to allow measurement of salt content/conductivity of substrates and blasting abrasives
In addition to the specialised range of inspection equipment, specific projects may require the following equipment, which also should be returned to the company upon completion of the project:
1) balancing scales and weights,
3) sieves for measuring blasting media (355–2500 range, set of seven),
3) measuring containers.