Designation: D 609 00

Standard Practice for

Preparation of Cold-Rolled Steel Panels for Testing Paint,
Varnish, Conversion Coatings, and Related Coating
Products1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 609; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope for testing of paint, varnish, lacquer, conversion coatings, and

1.1 This practice covers various types of cold rolled steel related products.
panels and the procedures to be followed in their preparation 5. Test Panels
for testing paint, varnish, lacquer, conversion coatings, and
related products. 5.1 Prepare the test panels from rust and stain-free cold-
1.2 The procedures are as follows: rolled steel as described in 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, and Table 1. The
Procedure AConversion coatings (phosphates, chromates, panels shall be made to a size and thickness as agreed upon
etc.) between the purchaser and seller. Edges shall be smooth and
Procedure BVapor degreasing corners rounded. The steel may have been coated at the mill
Procedure CSolvent brushing with a suitable rust preventive compound for protection during
Procedure DSolvent wiping shipment and storage. However, long-term steel storage with
Procedure EAlkaline cleaning oil on the surface may cause an oil/steel reaction known as oil
1.3 The values stated in SI units of measurement are to be stain. Since such stains inhibit chemical bonding, the steel
regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are selected for panels shall be free of oil stain and other visible
for information only. processing variation caused by pickling or annealing.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address the safety 5.2 Type 1 steel has a matte finish produced by steel mill
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility rolls that have been grit blasted. This finish is typical of
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and cold-rolled steel used for painted surfaces on automobiles,
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory appliances, etc. Such surfaces can be partially characterized by
limitations prior to use. measuring the average peak-to-valley distance and the number
of peaks per unit area. However, conversion coating and paint
2. Referenced Documents performance on such surfaces may vary because of different
2.1 ASTM Standards: oxidation, annealing procedures, and surface conditions.
A 109 Specification for Steel, Strip, Carbon, Cold-Rolled2 5.3 Type 2 steel panels are flat polished (or ground) after
A 366/A366M Specification for Commerical Steel(CS), the steel has been received from the mill. Flat polishing is a
Sheet, Carbon (0.15 Maximum Percent), Cold-Rolled, 2 method of mechanically grinding the surface with abrasive
D 235 Specification for Mineral Spirits (Petroleum Spirits) belts to remove surface contaminants and provide a more
(Hydrocarbon Drycleaning Solvents)3 uniform and reproducible surface for testing. Flat-polished
panels are not representative of the surface on which most
3. Summary of Practice coatings are applied, because polishing significantly improves
3.1 Several procedures for preparation and cleaning of steel the corrosion resistance performance of coatings by altering the
test panels are described as shown in Table 1. metallurgical nature of the steel substrate. To ensure complete
removal of surface contaminants, the original surface shall be
4. Significance and Use completely removed as determined by visual inspection; in any
4.1 The procedures described in this practice are designed to case, a minimum of 7.5 m (0.3 mils) of surface shall be
provide steel panels with a uniform and reproducible surface removed. Care must be used in the operation of the polishing
apparatus and after cleaning the test panel, to ensure complete
1
removal of grit and steel particles from the polished surface.
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-1 on Paint and
Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications and is the direct-responsibility of
5.4 Type 3 steel panels have a smooth finish produced by
Subcommittee D01.27 on Accelerated Testing. steel mill rolls which have been smooth ground. This smooth
Current edition approved April 10, 2000. Published June 2000. Originally finish is useful for measuring many paint properties such as
published as D 609 41. Last previous edition D 609 95. color, gloss, flexibility, or adhesion, where it is desirable to
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.03.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.04.
minimize the effects of variation in surface roughness.

Copyright ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 D 609
TABLE 1 Steel Panels

NOTE 1 in. 5 microinches; nm 5 nanometer.

Hardness Roughness (Arithmetic Mean), in.
Type No. Description Thickness, in. (mm) ASTM Specification
(Rockwell B) (nm)
1 Cold-rolled steel, as rolled 0.024 to 0.038 (0.6 to 1.0) 4075 2565 (7601650) A 109, A 366
(matte)
2 Cold-rolled steel, flat-polished 0.024 to 0.038 (0.6 to 1.0) 4075 flat polished to 1550 A 109, A 366
one side (3801270)
3 Cold-rolled steel, as rolled 0.010 to 0.024 (0.25 to 0.6) 4075 less than 20 (500) A 109, A 366
(smooth)

6. Methods of Preparation 6.6 Procedure E: Alkaline Cleaning Aqueous alkaline

6.1 After preparation, the surface of the panel should be cleaners are available from a number of sources as proprietary
water-break free, which is determined by immersing a repre- compounds or processes. Clean the panels with an alkaline
sentative panel momentarily in distilled water. The water solution or cleaner applied by spray or immersion. Brush or
should form a continuous unbroken film over the entire wipe in accordance with the recommendations of the cleaner
surface, without beading up into droplets or other water-breaks. manufacturer. One or more steps of rinsing with water will be
6.2 Procedure A: Conversion Coatings Conversion coat- required after this procedure of cleaning. To prevent rust, force
ings such as phosphates or chromates are available from a dry immediately after rinsing.
number of sources as proprietary compounds or processes for 7. Protection After Preparation
application by either spray or immersion. Follow the manufac-
turers directions as to the application of the conversion 7.1 To prevent rust, wrap panels that are not to be used
coating. Preparation of test panels may consist of one or more immediately after preparation, in a paper impregnated with
steps of cleaning, rinsing, or conditioning prior to the applica- dicyclohexylammonium nitrite, or an equivalent volatile cor-
tion of the conversion coating. Additional rinsing with water rosion inhibitor (VCI), and place in a plastic bag or envelope.
will usually be required after the conversion coating is applied. 7.1.1 Bare steel panels used after prolonged storage in VCI
To prevent rust, force dry immediately after rinsing. paper may have a residue of VCI that may affect some kinds of
6.3 Procedure B: Vapor Degreasing Suspend the panels tests. The VCI residue can generally be removed by wiping the
in a vapor-phase type degreaser containing stabilized 1,1,1- panel several times with a clean, lint-free cloth wetted with
trichloroethane and allow them to remain above the boiling warm distilled water.4 Its important to dry the panel thor-
solvent. When the panels attain vapor temperature, condensa- oughly immediately after wiping to prevent flash rust. For
tion of vapor onto the panels no longer occurs. Prewiping with critical tests, the operator can verify the presence and effect of
a clean, lintless cloth saturated with mineral spirits may be VCI residue by testing a representative paint on both a panel
necessary, since vapor degreasing generally does not remove wiped with water and on a panel straight out of the VCI wrap.
solid particulate matter such as dirt, etc. (see Note 1). Wiping with water is not recommended for phosphated panels,
because of the difficulty of removing water from the phosphate
NOTE 1Other organic solvents or combinations of solvents that will coating.
produce a water-break free surface may be used if agreed upon between 7.2 To avoid contamination from fingerprints, do not touch
the purchaser and the supplier.
the surface of the panels after preparation. Its preferable that
6.4 Procedure C: Solvent Brushing Power-brush scrub the panels be handled only with clean, lint-free gloves. Handle
the panel with mineral spirits (Specification D 235). When all the panels only by the edges, even if wearing gloves.
soluble and loosely adhering soil has been washed off, flush
with clean mineral spirits. Dry at a temperature of 52 to 93C 8. Keywords
(125 to 200F) before use or storage (see Note 1). 8.1 panels; sheet metal; steel panels; substrate-coatings
6.5 Procedure D: Solvent WipingUsing clean, lintless application
cloth wet with mineral spirits, vigorously rub the panel surface
until all soluble and loosely adhering soil has been removed. 4
Skerry, B., Prewashing Commercially Supplied Cold-Rolled Steel Test Panels
Flush with clean solvent. Dry at a temperature of 52 to 93C and Its Effect on Coating Adhesion, Journal of Coatings Technology, Vol 62, No.
(125 to 200F) before use or storage (see Note 1). 788, September 1990, pp. 5558.

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