Residue testing is a quantitative method of testing the cleanliness of a surface.

Soils are removed by solvent extraction with an organic solvent followed by evaporation
of the solvent. Once the solvent has been flashed, the remaining residue from
the part is carefully and accurately weighed and expressed in terms of milligrams per
square meter of surface area.

The cleanliness of the substrate will have a big impact on subsequent treatments
and the ultimate performance of the coating. It is very important to keep track of
cleaner performance. Visual inspection is useful as a routine part of supervising the
operation, but it is subjective and does not provide any data to confirm the results.
Still, if a product does not look clean, it probably is not.
Wiping the surface with a clean white cloth is good for determining the presence
of inorganic and particulate matter, such as carbon smut, that oftentimes does not show
up until substrates are cleaned. It is not a perfect test as some phosphate coatings may
leave some minor smut without interfering with performance, but it does help to
monitor daily operation.
Parts should be routinely observed as they exit the washer to see if the water
beads up or sheets off in a “water-break-free” condition. A water-break-free condition
indicates an absence of organic materials that could interfere with adhesion and
ultimate performance.
Another qualitative test aimed at determining if soils remain on a part after cleaning
is the scotch tape test. Clear adhesive tape is laid on a part and rubbed firmly over the
surface; when pulled back, the “sticky” side will have particulate matter attached to it
that can be viewed and referenced. Besides providing a relative degree of cleanliness,
22 Paint Technology Handbook
this test will measure the degree of adherence of soil such as carbon smut and weld
smoke.
Another helpful test of cleanliness is the use of a black light. An oil soluble
fluorescent dye can be mixed with an oily soiling material and applied to the test
panels. After the panels are cleaned, the remaining soil is visible under ultraviolet or
black light. Many common metal working fluids fluoresce under a black light. Black
lights are relatively inexpensive. In order for this test to work, it is important to know
that the soils being tested will fluoresce under a black light.
Yet another method to test cleanliness is a contact angle water drop test. A drop
of water is placed on the test surface; the contact angle is then measured photographically
or by a contact angle goniometer. The contact angle varies with the level
of cleanliness of the substrate. Although this is an accurate method of determining
surface cleanliness, it can only be used under laboratory conditions.
Infra red (IR) spectroscopy can also be used to test cleanliness.Acleaned surface
can be stripped with a solvent cleaner. The solvent used for cleaning is then analyzed
for any soils remaining that would indicate the part is not clean. Another way of
using spectroscopy is to rub a salt onto the surface to pick up any impurities. The salt
is then pressed into a pellet. The pellet is analyzed with the spectrophotometer for
impurities.
1.1.9 SUMMARY
Cleaning is a very critical step in the coating process. Adhesion, appearance, and
corrosion resistance are directly related to good cleaning. Proper cleaning requires
careful and accurate management of the washer and the cleaning chemical solutions.
Planning and managing a cleaning process begins by recognizing the relationship
between the substrate, soil, method of application, and the appropriate chemical
solutions and how each impacts the cleaning process.
The four factors of time, temperature, mechanical force, and chemical concentration
combine to provide the necessary quality level. These four factors must be
measured and maintained routinely for consistent results. Good system management
and regular testing of the cleaning results is the first building block of coating
success.