Testing of porcelain enamel powder

properties
To maintain the reproducibility of your enameling process, it is important to monitor
and control all major process parameters.
With regard to the electrostatic powder enamel application department, it is
necessary to keep your ambient conditions, equipment settings and powder
properties within strict tolerances.
This web page focus on the powder properties of porcelain enamels, which may be
characterized by the following parameters :

Adhesion
Application rate
Fluidity
Particle size distribution
Surface resistivity

Underneath you will find an outline of the available testing methods to measure
these powder parameters, as described in the international enamel literature and/or
used by major powder suppliers.

Adhesion
Adhesion checks are most probably the best indicator of the condition of the powder.
The adhesion of a powder is usually tested by applying a normal coating on a panel at standard
settings. After a certain time interval, the panel is subjected to an impact of a controlled force, which is
reproducible.

Adhesion = ( powder weight after impact / powder weight before impact ) x 100 %
According to the theory, there are two different methods :

STPA - Short Time Powder Adhesion

LTPA - Long Time Powder Adhesion

The only difference between the STPA and LTPA method is the duration of the time interval between
powder application and impact. (1 minute versus 15 minutes)
Test result

Conclusion according to DEV

STPA > 75 %

Very safe for the enamelling shop

75 % > STPA > 65 %

With risk for the enameling shop

STPA < 65 %

Insufficient for the enameling shop

However, please note that in order to get reproducible results, it is necessary to keep the following
test parameters constant :

Film thickness of applied powder

Gun settings like tension, flow rate and atomizing air

Pressure, temperature and humidity of compressed air
Ambient conditions between application and impact
Force of impact

Sources :
DEZ Test Regulations, English Edition 1994, page 89.
PEI-501, 1995, page 8.

Application Rate

The application rate of powder is generally used to determine the rate of material transfer.
It may be measured by determining the gun output per unit of time and then using that value as a
denominator for the amount of powder applied to a standard target at a given time.
Application rate = ( grams on target / grams output from gun ) x 100 %
Sources :

PEI-501, 1995, page 7.

Laboratory equipment for wet enamel

slip preparation & testing
The following equipment may be used for testing various properties of wet enamel
slip prior to application :
Equipment

Purpose

Bayer knife /
enamel slip
gauge

Bayer enamel
fineness test
sieve

Comparing quickly the consistency of wet enamel

slip without weighting. More..

Measuring the fineness of a wet enamel

slip.More..

Ferro cone
screen

Measuring fineness of wet enamel slip

Laboratory
furnace

Firing sample plates and/or products. More ..

Manual spraybooth

Capturing overspray enamel while manual

spraying small batches and/or sample plates.

Manual spraygun

Spraying small batches of enamel for producing

sample plates

Pycnometer

Measuring specific gravity of enamel slip. More ..

Rapido mill

Fast milling of enamel slip for samples

Slump tester

Measuring enamel set. More..

Contact DTC for prices, delivery times and/or other questions concerning
laboratory equipment for wet enamel.