Industrial Solution for Non-Contact Coating Thickness Measurement, CoatMaster

As the Turkey representative of Winterthur Instruments AG, DB Kimya San. ve Tic. A.Ş. has been closely monitoring developments in coating technologies worldwide since 2003. This patented technology is very new and was only commercialized in 2015.

We quickly began conducting trials and demonstrations at leading manufacturers in the sector. CoatMaster is successfully used in over 200 locations across Europe. In our article, you will find information about how this system operates and how it is integrated into paint application lines. Measurement of coating and paint thicknesses using the thermal method is made possible by AOT (Advanced Optic Technology), one of today's latest technologies. CoatMaster provides fast and non-destructive coating thickness measurement. With CoatMaster, coating process deviations can be detected at the earliest stage, measurement data is reliably recorded, evaluated, documented and clearly visualized. If your aim is coating and paint savings or reducing your environmental footprint, this technology will serve you well. Additionally, in Industry 4.0 applications in facilities, CoatMaster will provide you with many automation options in your painting processes. To guarantee excellent coating and painting results and sustained process reliability in production, coating thickness measurement applied in the process is very important. With this thermal coating test method, coating thickness can be determined immediately after application, without time loss, directly in the production process in a contactless and non-destructive manner. This technology, originating in the automotive sector, can be used on almost every painted component: electrostatic powder coatings (powder or after baking), liquid coatings (before or after drying), powder and wet enamel coatings, cataphoresis, plastic coatings, wood paints, adhesion promoters and thermally sprayed coatings. So how does CoatMaster work? This technology, developed by Winterthur Instruments, measures by utilizing the thermal conductivity contrast of materials. After the coating is heated in a pulse-like manner by a few degrees Celsius, cooling and heat conduction proceed towards deeper areas of the coating and base material. The detected thermal radiation is recorded, converted and digitized without contact.

Coating Thickness Measurement

The paint or coating layer is heated impulsively via a flash lamp, and the thermal radiation emitted from the surface is detected locally with a contactless infrared sensor. The time dynamics of the emitted thermal radiation are influenced by the thickness of the coating and sublayer. Heat distribution is characterized by the layer structure. At the beginning of measurement, the device is calibrated according to the thermal properties of the coating and material, and with this measurement method, contactless detection of coating thickness can be performed. The measurement signals contain information about material properties, coating thickness, adhesion and homogeneity. The schematic representation of the measurement is as follows:

[1] – Measurement head [2] – Power unit [3] – Cooling unit

Fluctuations in Paint and Coating Surface

Paint and coating surfaces are typically not completely flat and of uniform thickness; there is an orange-peel-like fluctuation on the surface. This fluctuation is affected by various parameters such as material nature and roughness, pretreatment, particle size, chemical composition and temperature distribution during the curing/baking/drying process. During CoatMaster measurement, the above-described fluctuation is automatically compensated through optical averaging processing. Thus, reliable determination of coating thickness is possible even with varying thicknesses. Winterthur Instruments' CoatMaster contactless thickness measurement device reduces the challenges of today's coating processes. By means of the device, layer thickness of wet, adhesive, powder or solid coatings ranging from one micron to two millimeters can be determined immediately after coating application in a contactless and non-destructive manner. Independent of the coating color or the shape and material of the workpiece to be coated, CoatMaster provides reliable measurement results. It is suitable for working in both laboratory and production environments. Measurement is performed without emitting hazardous radiation. Fluctuations in process conditions, such as changes in working distance or angular oscillation of the workpiece to be measured during measurement, are tolerated. Thus, it meets high requirements regarding the accuracy of coating thickness measurement.

Overview of Coating Thickness Measurement with CoatMaster;

• Contactless and automatic measurement, • Suitable for complex-shaped parts, • Measurement can be performed in the early stage of the process, • Real-time inline solution, • Measurement possible with all colors, • Coating thickness can be 1-2000 μm, • Measurement distance can be 50-1200 mm.

Operator Benefits;

• Enables continuous automatic monitoring and documentation of the coating process, • Used as an important cost reduction tool through savings in coating/paint material, • Reduces personnel costs for quality control, • Prevents formation of scrap parts through early detection, • Provides significant improvements in resource protection and environmental aspects.

Technical Data

• Measurement range: 1-2000 μm, • Measurement distance: 50-1200 mm, • Measurement point size: Ø 2-50 mm, • Measurement rate, • Moving measurement object: 50 m/min., • Distance tolerance: ±30 mm, • Angle tolerance: ±70°C, • Measurement frequency: 2 sec., • Single point LED indicator, • Focal length 135 mm, 250 mm, 350 mm, 500 mm, • Measurement head (weight 4.2 kg, dimensions 204 x 254 x 268 mm), • Cooling unit 19" frame, • Generator unit 19" frame, • Ethernet interface, • Operating temperature 5-30°C, • Recommended maintenance interval 1 year or 2 million measurements.

CoatMaster Products

CoatMaster is offered to users in 4 different models: Atline, Inline, 3D and Flex. Each type has its own specific areas of application. The models are listed in order below:

New Product CoatMaster Flex

CoatMaster Flex was launched at ECS Nuremberg last March. Offering portable and fast solutions especially for powder coating users, CoatMaster Flex provides significant savings by measuring the thickness of the paint layer in the early stage in a non-destructive manner. Contactless measurements can be taken from the most difficult areas, independent of part geometry in an unconventional manner. Çağrı Doğançay - General Manager - DB Kimya San. ve Tic. A.Ş. - CoatMaster Turkey Distributor Hüseyin Satır - Sales Manager - Winterthur Instruments