CROSS HATCH CUTTER ADHESION TEST –

The ‘Cross Hatch’ test is widely used in various forms to assess adhesion of paint coatings. This is a test to demonstrate adhesion characteristics of paint or powder coated surface -- performed by scribing a cross hatch pattern at specific intervals -- then applying and pulling area with tape. The cross hatch cutter has advantages over single cutting blades for both safety and simplicity in use. Its technical merit has been recognized by International Standards authorities as a method of test for this property of attached coatings, which also depends on other factors e.g. flexibility of coating, the presence of interference layers between coating and substrate etc. The test method specifies suitable cutting tools with either single or multiple cutting edges.

The assurance of the adherence of an applied paint coating to its substrate is very important, as applied coatings which may look ok could be poorly adhered and thus could cause premature failure which would prove to be very inconvenient and costly to make good especially on assembled equipment and in the field. The premature failure of a coating may be due to poor surface cleanliness, surface contaminants, incorrect anchor pattern, dew on surface during painting etc. Adhesion can be easily tested using the Paint Test Equipment Cross Hatch Cutter. The Cross Hatch Cutter will allow an assessment to be made of the adhesion resistance of coatings to separation from substrates when a right-angled lattice pattern is cut into the coating and penetrates through to the substrate. Coating is cut into small squares using cross cuts thereby reducing lateral bonding, and the adhesion assessed against ISO, ASTM or customer specifications. The coating thickness determines the cutter size used.

Adhesion testing after the coating process will quantify the strength of the bond between substrate and coating, or between different coating layers or the cohesive strength of some substrates. Routine testing is used as part of inspection and maintenance procedures to help detect potential coating failures.