This NACE International standard recommended practice was prepared to provide guidelines for establishing standardized procedures for selecting test panels, preparing and painting the surfaces of panels, selecting test sites, and grading and evaluating panels in atmospheric exposure. Such standardization procedures are needed for meaningful comparisons of paint panel tests.

The recommendations in this document apply only to atmospheric exposure and specifically exclude immersion testing and laboratory testing. Standards and other recommendations relating to the procedures described herein are listed in an appendix of this recommended practice.

This recommended practice for panel evaluation testing in atmospheric exposures was originally prepared by NACE Task Group T-6H-25 of Unit Committee T-6H on Coating Materials for Atmospheric Service, and later transferred to Task Group T-6Q-16 of Unit Committee T-60 on Quality Assurance of

Protective Coating Materials and Their Application. The members of Task Group T-60-16 included representatives from consulting firms, users of protective coatings, and coating manufacturers. This standard was editorially updated in 1993 by Unit Committee T-6H and is issued the auspices of Group Committee T-6 on Protective Coatings and Linings. This standard provides minimum procedural guidelines for all parties concerned with the field performance evaluation of protective coating systems. 

1.1 This recommended practice provides guidelines for establishing standard procedures for test panel selection, surface preparation, coating application, field exposure sites and conditions, and the grading and evaluation of panels.

Appendixes A, B, and C provide example forms that may be used in conjunction with these recommendations. Appendix D provides a list of standards and other information related to panel testing.

1.2 While many of these recommendations may be appropriate for testing in an environment other than atmospheric (such as accelerated weathering, salt fog, fume chambers, etc.), they are specifically intended for test panel evaluation in an atmospheric exposure. These recommendations are not intended to be used for laboratory testing, immersion testing, etc.

1.3 Preliminary screening of coating systems may be more efficiently and economically accomplished by laboratory testing. Also, superior performance of a coating system on a test panel in an atmospheric environment does not ensure that equivalent performance will be attained during actual field application and service.

 Historical Document 1993