FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING A COATING SYSTEM

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING A COATING SYSTEM

A. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
• Temperature
• Chemicals
• Fresh/Seawater
• Erosion
• Wave impacts
• Sunlight (UV) resistance
• Immersion, splash, fumes exposure
• Biological attack

B. DESIGN FACTORS
• Design life of equipment
• Cathodic protection
• Fabrication and installation of equipment
• Equipment configuration - crevices, skip welds, etc.
• Accessibility of equipment for repairs after installation
• Storage conditions prior to installation
• Maximum coating thickness allowed by design

C. COATING MATERIALS FACTORS
• Resistance to corrosive media
• Hardness
• Resilience
• Moisture transfer rate
• Maximum dry film thickness per coat
• Compatibility with substrate/other coats
• Surface preparation requirements
• Curing requirements
• Repairability
• Compatibility with cathodic protection
• Cost
• Availability
• Number of coats required
• Weatherability
• Inhibitive or galvanic protective primers

D. SUBSTRATE FACTORS
• Type of metal
• Required surface preparation
• Cure temperature of coating versus tempering temperature of substrate
• Rigid or flexible
• Type of equipment required/available at application site
• State/EPA restrictions on VOC’s and OSHA restrictions on blasting at application site
• Ease of application
• Environmental (temperature/humidity) restrictions during application

F. MISCELLANEOUS FACTORS
• Customer requirements
• Regulatory requirements
• Inspection requirements