Coating Laboratory Services
Select the Right Coating for Your Service Environment
RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. can evaluate the corrosion protection of prospective coatings under laboratory-simulated process conditions in rapid, economical tests. Alternatively, coatings can be evaluated in the field under actual process conditions using field test panels. The effect of temperature, pressure, chemicals, heat, UV light, mechanical stress, or any combination of these can be determined on adhesion, blister resistance, impedance, flexibility, impact resistance, wear, and other measures of performance.
Compare Competing Products
Competing coatings can be subjected to a laboratory simulated industrial environment or actual field conditions to determine relative performance.
Determine if a Coating Meets Specification
RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. can evaluate the liquid components or solid film for chemical composition, physical properties (viscosity, specific gravity, pigment content), or corrosion performance to determine if a coating meets specification.
RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd.' Edmonton Laboratory
Determine Why a Coating Failed
When coatings fail prematurely, RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. can help you understand why. Laboratory analyses, case history, and coating science are used by RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. to understand what happened and how to avoid similar failures in the future.
Use an Expert Witness in Litigation
If a coating problem leads to litigation, RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. can provide expert witness services to help you defend your case. Testimony of laboratory findings are made by technically experienced laboratory personnel.
Supplement Field Tests with Laboratory Analyses
RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. laboratory evaluation of field test panels can assist you in assessing coating performance in a field test.
Analysis of film thickness and number of coats by stereomicroscopy
Develop a New Improved, Coating Formulation
Have new, experimental formulations evaluated in the RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. laboratory under simulated industrial process conditions. Use accelerated testing
for rapid and economical results.
Determine the Effect of Changes in Surface Preparation
Evaluate the effect of different types of surface preparations on coating performance in the target industrial environment.
Coating Failure
Coating Performance Under Different Application Conditions
RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. can determine the effect of compromised application procedures on coating performance. We can also determine the effect of challenging or compromised environmental conditions on coating performance. Examples include coating application subject to excessive heat or cold, incorrect humidity, off-ratio mixing, exceeding pot-life, and temperature cycling.
Identify Unknown Coatings by Chemical Techniques
Identify the generic type of an unknown coating (eg. epoxy, urethane, acrylic) by FTIR. Determine the identity of an unknown coating (liquids or solid film) by comparison to a known standard using FTIR methods.
Diagnose formulation problems using chemical analysis methods.
Cross section of a coating showing multiple coats with excessive foam