The cross-cut test is used to characterize the adhesion strength of coatings.
Paint layers, coatings and coatings should adhere well to the substrate of the base material to be protected. The standardized cross-cut test is primarily used to determine the resistance of a coating to separation from the substrate. In combination with corrosion tests - such as the salt spray test - it can also be used to assess how the coating and the base material behave when damaged. A grid is cut into the coating that extends all the way to the substrate.
The cross-cut device creates a cross of 2 x 6, 2 x 11 or 1,5 x 11 mm. The subsequent adhesive tape tear is used to remove loose coating parts. The test is evaluated visually by comparing the cutting grid image with standardized reference images. This results in the cross-cut characteristic value. The test is suitable for layer thicknesses of up to 250 µm.
In addition to this and other standardized procedures such as roughness measurements, abrasion resistance, stone chip testing, etc., we offer various other options for surface characterization.
To clarify the causes of adhesion strengths, the GWP examines the interface in more detail, for example. Imaging and analytical methods such as scanning electron microscopy and ToF-SIMS are used here.
Typical standards:
DIN EN ISO 2409:2013-06: Paints and varnishes – Cross-cut test (ISO 2409:2013)
DIN EN ISO 16276-2:2007-08 Corrosion protection of steel structures by paint and varnish systems – Assessment of adhesion/cohesion (bonding strength) of a coating and criteria for acceptance – Part 2: Cross-cut and cross-cut tests (ISO 16276-2:2007)
ASTM D3359 – 02 Standard Test Methods for Measuring Adhesion by Tape Test
Honda 7710Z-SCC-9000: 2001-09 Bonding performance
Suzuki SES N 3243:2017-01 Painting quality of plastic parts
JIS K5600-5-6: 1999-05 Testing methods for paints – Part 5: Mechanical property of film – Section 6: Adhesion test (Cross-cut test)
