Overview
ISO/TR 11594:2022 provides best practices for creating and evaluating fingerprint analysis of automotive coating systems as a technical supplement to the ISO 28199 series. The report gives technical descriptions of X‑Y measuring tables (scanners), sample applications and evaluations, and practical recommendations for both visual and metrological evaluation of standard test panels. It is intended to give additional guidance to laboratories, coating suppliers and OEMs involved in process compatibility testing and quality assurance.
Key topics and technical requirements
- X‑Y measuring tables (scanners): technical descriptions, measurement workflows and examples for graphical presentation of measured quantities.
- Test panels and dimensions: guidance on standard panels (e.g., 300 mm × 570 mm per ISO 28199-1) and methods to manufacture reproducible panels.
- Film thickness wedges and wedge layers: creation and evaluation of film thickness profiles to cover series process ranges; methods for producing wedges (dynamic path distance, changing paint flow, changing application tip velocity).
- Measurands and instruments: film thickness, colour tone, surface structure (microstructure / orange peel), gloss, mottling, haze and sparkling - including state‑of‑the‑art measuring devices.
- Visual evaluation: recommendations for illumination chambers and viewing conditions (references to ISO 3668) and process steps for visual assessment.
- Quality control and monitoring: monitoring test equipment, software considerations and results from interlaboratory testing to demonstrate precision.
- Materials and panel preparation: types of substrates (coil‑coated steel, plastics), cleaning/activation and relevance to surface energy testing (ISO 19403 series).
Practical applications and users
ISO/TR 11594:2022 is practical for:
- Automotive OEMs and paint formulators assessing process suitability of new base coats and clear coats.
- Coating laboratories simulating high‑rotation bell and other application processes for early-stage approval testing.
- Quality and metrology teams performing incoming goods inspection of test panels and validating measuring tables.
- Equipment manufacturers and software providers developing or validating scanners and analysis tools for film thickness and optical surface characterization.
Typical uses include predicting process compatibility, verifying colour and gloss stability across film thickness ranges, checking wetting/sagging/pinhole behaviour, and standardizing interlaboratory evaluations.
Related standards
- ISO 28199 series (primary method supplemented by this TR)
- ISO 3668 (visual assessment illumination)
- ISO 19403 series (surface energy testing)
Keywords: ISO/TR 11594, X‑Y measuring tables, fingerprint analysis, film thickness wedge, test panels, ISO 28199, coating metrology, automotive paint testing.