ASTM D6486-99

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
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Designation: D 6486 – 99
Standard Practice for
Short Term Vehicle Service Exposure of Automotive
Coatings
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 6486; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope D 1005 Test Methods for Measurement of Dry Film Thick-
ness of Organic Coatings Using Micrometers
1.1 This practice provides the protocol for vehicle service
D 1186 Test Methods for Nondestructive Measurement of
exposure testing of automotive coatings. Such exposure testing
Dry Film Thickness of Nonmagnetic Coatings Applied to
is valuable for the verification of the performance of automo-
a Ferrous Base
tive coatings and correlation with laboratory test data. Vehicle
D 1400 Test Method for Nondestructive Measurement of
service exposure is intended to provide short term (2 to 20
Dry Film Thickness of Nonconductive Coatings Applied to
weeks) exposure to the stress factors associated with vehicle
a Nonferrous Metal Base
operation. Factors included are scratch, mar, impact, stone
D 3170 Test Method for Chipping Resistance of Coatings
chipping, insect impact, bird dropping, tree sap and staining,
D 3359 Test Methods for Measuring Adhesion by Tape
environmental fallout, etc.
Test
NOTE 1—Vehicle service exposure is not intended to provide the
D 5767 Test Methods for Instrumental Measurement of
conditions that are needed for characterizing the long term effects of
Distinctness-of-Image Gloss of Coating Surfaces
weathering or corrosion exposure.
2.2 U.S. Federal Standard:
1.2 The exposure conditions are produced by the placement
DOT NHTSA Reg. #49 CFR, Part 575
of multiple test panels of automotive finishes on automotive
3. Terminology
test fleets that traverse a defined road course. Exposure to the
operating environment can be 20 h/day, 7 days/week allowing
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
for accumulation of over 100 000 miles in 10 weeks of
3.1.1 blistering— formation in the film of dome-shaped,
exposure.
liquid- or gas-filled projections resulting from local loss of
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
adhesion and lifting of the film from the previously applied
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
coating or the substrate.
only.
3.1.2 chipping—removal of a coating, usually in small
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
pieces, resulting from impact by hard objects or from wear
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
during service.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.3 cracking—breaks of the film where the breaks through
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
to the surfacepainted and the previously applied coating or the
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
substrate is visible.
3.1.4 distinctness-of-image-gloss—aspect of gloss charac-
2. Referenced Documents
terized by the sharpness of images of objects produced by
2.1 ASTM Standards:
reflection at a surface.
D 523 Test Method for Specular Gloss
3.1.5 gloss—angular selectivity of reflectance, involving
D 609 Practice for Preparation of Cold-Rolled Steel Panels
surface-reflected light, responsible for the degree to which
for Testing Paint, Varnish, Conversion Coatings, and
reflected highlights or images of objects may be seen as
Related Coating Products
superimposed on a surface.
D 714 Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Blistering of
3.1.6 staining— discoloration, arising from foreign materi-
Paint
als, that penetrates into the coating.
D 823 Practices for Producing Films of Uniform Thickness
4. Significance and Use
of Paint, Varnish, and Related Products on Test Panels
4.1 Since the exposure of automotive coatings to the various
mechanical and chemical stress encountered in actual operation
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-1 on Paint and
Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications, and is the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee D01.55 on Factory Applied Coatings on Preformed Products. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.02.
Current edition approved Dec. 10, 1999. Published March 2000. Available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.01. Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 6486
is very opportunistic, obtaining statistically significant data thickness should be controlled in accordance with the manu-
from which valid conclusions can be drawn, requires rigorous facturers specifications and measured in accordance with Test
attention to the experimental designs and conditions of expo- Methods D 1186, D 1005 or D 1400.
sure. Test panels are mounted on the major surfaces (front,
NOTE 2—Control and test coating specimens (panels) must have a large
sides and roof) of the vehicle.
enough surface area to be able to accumulate sufficient occasions of stress,
and thus be statistically meaningful. Specimen size of 203 by 305 mm (8
5. Limitations
by 12 in.) has been found to be adequate.
5.1 Vehicle service exposure is not intended to provide the
8.2 Measure the gloss and distinctness of image (DOI) of
conditions that are needed for characterizing the long term
the test and control coating panels in accordance with Test
effects of weathering or corrosion exposure.
Methods D 523 and D 5767.
5.2 Vehicle service exposure is not intended to provide
8.3 Place the test and control coating panels on the speci-
absolute values. The performance of the test coatings is relative
men racks.
to that of a control coating.
8.4 Mount the specimen racks on the carrier vehicles.
6. Vehicle Test Fleets NOTE 3—Specimen racks are to be mounted on the center front bumper
(front), right and left front doors (side) and roof of the vehicle.
6.1 Various commercial organizations operate multi vehicle
NOTE 4—A minimum of three test vehicles, operating in convoy, so that
fleets that can conform to the required test conditions. Among
by rotating position period
...