News + Science Articles from Brighton Science

Optimizing your Metal Performance with the Surface Analyst

Written by Brighton Science | Mar 26, 2017 3:51:37 PM

Manufacturers who work with metal and are concerned with metal performance are all too familiar with the obstacles that come along with coating, painting, bonding, printing, or sealing it. While the uses of metal in manufacturing are countless and exist in numerous industries, the common denominator is ensuring the appropriate surface cleanliness prior to surface critical processes to guarantee successful adhesion. Common surface cleanliness gauges—dyne inks and water break—are subjective and do not offer quantitative results. Water break can be messy and time-consuming, and dyne is destructive to the part and dangerous to the user. While these methods can offer some insight into surface cleanliness, they are less than ideal.

The Surface Analyst is a fast, easy, accurate, and non-destructive surface cleanliness gauge that tells the user right on the manufacturing floor how prepared the surface is to bond. This hand-held instrument improves surface processes and guarantees a bond will stick. Numerous manufacturers in industries such as consumer goods, automotive, and aerospace have implemented the Surface Analyst in their specifications to improve their critical metal surface processes.

Surface Analyst Metal Application Examples

The Surface Analyst improves metal performance by verifying and monitoring surface treatment and measuring surface cleanliness throughout each step in the manufacturing process to optimize and improve typical metal applications:

  • Thermal Spray
  • Sealing
  • Metallization
  • Painting
  • Machining
  • Bonding
  • Soldering
  • Coating


Measure
on Material

Monitor
Prep Processes

Validate
Surface Treatments

Steel Solvent wiping Plasma treatment
Stainless Sanding corona treatment
Aluminum Parts washing flame treatment
Titanium Grit-blasting Etching

Watch the Surface Analyst in Action

This video uses a FIPG application to demonstrate how you can measure changes in your surface preparation process simply through the push of a button.

 

To find out more about controlling the efficiency of any washing process, download the "Manufacturer's Roadmap to Eliminating Adhesion Issues in Production" eBook.