ASTM D6486-01(2017)

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Designation: D6486 − 01 (Reapproved 2011) D6486 − 01 (Reapproved 2017)
Standard Practice for
Short Term Vehicle Service Exposure of Automotive
Coatings
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6486; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice covers the protocol for vehicle service exposure testing of automotive coatings. Such exposure testing is
valuable for the verification of the performance of automotive coatings and correlation with laboratory test data. Vehicle service
exposure is intended to provide short term (2 to 20 weeks) exposure to the stress factors associated with vehicle operation. Factors
included are scratch, mar, impact, stone chipping, insect impact, bird dropping, tree sap and staining, environmental fallout, etc.
NOTE 1—Vehicle service exposure is not intended to provide the conditions that are needed for characterizing the long term effects of weathering or
corrosion exposure.
1.2 The exposure conditions are produced by the placement of multiple test panels of automotive finishes on automotive test
fleets that traverse a defined road course. Exposure to the operating environment can be 20 h/day, 7 days/week allowing for
accumulation of over 100 000 miles in 10 weeks of exposure.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D523 Test Method for Specular Gloss
D609 Practice for Preparation of Cold-Rolled Steel Panels for Testing Paint, Varnish, Conversion Coatings, and Related Coating
Products
D714 Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Blistering of Paints
D823 Practices for Producing Films of Uniform Thickness of Paint, Varnish, and Related Products on Test Panels
D1005 Test Method for Measurement of Dry-Film Thickness of Organic Coatings Using Micrometers
D1186 Test Methods for Nondestructive Measurement of Dry Film Thickness of Nonmagnetic Coatings Applied to a Ferrous
Base (Withdrawn 2006)
D1400 Test Method for Nondestructive Measurement of Dry Film Thickness of Nonconductive Coatings Applied to a
Nonferrous Metal Base (Withdrawn 2006)
D3170 Test Method for Chipping Resistance of Coatings
D3359 Test Methods for Rating Adhesion by Tape Test
D5767 Test Methods for Instrumental Measurement of Distinctness-of-Image Gloss of Coating Surfaces
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications and is the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee D01.55 on Factory Applied Coatings on Preformed Products.
Current edition approved June 1, 2011June 1, 2017. Published June 2011June 2017. Originally approved in 1999. Last previous edition approved in 20052011 as
D6486 – 01 (2005).(2011). DOI: 10.1520/D6486-01R11.10.1520/D6486-01R17.
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volume information, refer to the standard’sstandard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on www.astm.org.
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D6486 − 01 (2017)
2.2 U.S. Federal Standard:
DOT NHTSA Reg. #49 CFR Part 575
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 blistering, n—formation in the film of dome-shaped, liquid- or gas-filled projections resulting from local loss of adhesion
and lifting of the film from the previously applied coating or the substrate.
3.1.2 chipping, n—removal of a coating, usually in small pieces, resulting from impact by hard objects or from wear during
service.
3.1.3 cracking, n—formation of breaks in a film that extend through to the underlying surface.
3.1.4 distinctness-of-image-gloss, n—aspect of gloss characterized by the sharpness of images of objects produced by reflection
at a surface.
3.1.5 gloss, n—angular selectivity of reflectance, involving surface-reflected light, responsible for the degree to which reflected
highlights or images of objects may be seen as superimposed on a surface.
3.1.6 staining, n—discoloration, arising from foreign materials, that penetrates into the coating.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 Since the exposure of automotive coatings to the various mechanical and chemical stresses encountered in actual operations,
is very opportunistic, obtaining statistically significant data from which valid conclusions can be drawn, requires rigorous attention
to the experimental designs and conditions of exposure.
5. Limitations
5.1 Vehicle service exposure is not intended to provide the conditions that are needed for characterizing the long term effects
of weathering or corrosion exposure.
5.2 Vehicle service exposure is not intended to provide absolute values. The performance of the test coatings is relative to that
of a control coating.
6. Vehicle Test Fleets
6.1 Various commercial organizations operate multi-vehicle fleets that can conform to the required test conditions. Among other
objectives, they are operated to comply with federal tire wear rating requirements. The U. S. Federal requirements are published
in DOT NHTSA Reg. #49 CFR Part 575, and specifies specific route and operating conditions. The addition of properly designed
specimen racks to these vehicles can be accommodated.
7. General Requirements
7.1 Test panels are mounted on the major surfaces (front, sides, and roof) of the vehicle. Since the exposure of automotive
coatings to the various mechanical and chemical stresses encountered in actual operation is very opportunistic, obtaining
statistically significant data from which valid conclusions can be drawn requires rigorous attention to the experimental design and
conditions of
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