Adhesive tester

Adhesion

Adhesion describes the adhesion strength between coating and substrate as well as the cohesion within the layer. It is determined using Pull-Off tensile tests according to ISO 4624 and ASTM D4541 or with the Cross-Cut method according to ISO 2409 and ASTM D3359. Additionally, scratch/scribe tests (ISO 1518), bending tests (ISO 1519) and cupping tests (ISO 1520) are applied. All systems are calibratable and offer functions for statistics and report generation.

Applications & Benefits

Instruments for adhesion testing are used in wet paint and powder coating, steel construction, the automotive industry, railway and shipbuilding as well as maintenance. They assess adhesion on metallic and non-metallic substrates as well as the cohesion within the coating. Correctly selected systems ensure release approvals, prevent rework and enable audit-proof documentation – from the laboratory to the construction site.

Testing tasks & set configuration

Pull-Off Test (ISO 4624 / ASTM D4541): Selection of the appropriate dolly diameter and material depending on substrate and coating thickness. Use of a suitable adhesive with defined curing time. The load is applied at a defined pull rate until failure occurs, followed by evaluation according to adhesive, cohesive or mixed failure. This method provides quantitative adhesion values and is used for release testing.

Cross-Cut (ISO 2409 / ASTM D3359): Execution of defined cut patterns with standardized blade spacing and controlled application pressure. The standardized tape removal procedure enables fast, comparable assessment of adhesion, especially for production lines and routine tests.

Complementary tests: ISO 1518 (scratch/scribe resistance), ISO 1519 (bending test) and ISO 1520 (cupping/Erichsen test) assess additional properties such as elasticity, surface hardness and resistance to deformation. These methods complement adhesion evaluation with mechanical performance aspects.

Documentation: Photographic recording of failure images, clear label and QR identification of specimens as well as automated PDF/CSV export of results. Serial number and user assignment ensure traceability and audit compliance within the quality system.

Product areas & integration

The portfolio includes tensile testers (manual, hydraulic or automatic), dollies, adhesives, cross-cut tools, scribers, test frames and calibration/reference kits. In addition, apps, cloud solutions and interfaces for digital measurement data acquisition are available. We define test scope, standard reference (ISO 4624, ASTM D4541, ISO 2409, ASTM D3359, ISO 1518, 1519, 1520) and test point plans and integrate the instruments into existing QS workflows, photo and report archives and audit processes. This results in transparent, standard-compliant and audit-ready testing procedures with digital traceability.

Benefits at a glance

• Standard-compliant – ISO 4624/2409 & ASTM D4541/D3359, traceable calibration
• Practical – construction site & laboratory, suitable dollies/adhesives
• Digital documentation – photos, failure images, labels/QR, PDF/CSV & traceability
• Reliable release decisions – statistics, limit testing & reproducible results

Top manufacturers – adhesion

• Elcometer – Pull-Off testers (e.g., 510/506), dollies, cross-cut tools & reporting.
• DeFelsko – PosiTest AT Pull-Off, accessories & app/cloud documentation.
• BYK-Gardner – Cross-cut tools & assessment accessories.
• TQC Sheen – Cross-cut, scratch/scribe, bending/cupping & references.
• Rhopoint – Testing equipment & visual evaluation tools.
• KSJ – Portable inspection instruments.
• Neurtek – Adhesives, accessories & lab supplies.
• Helmut Fischer – Precision metrology & reference standards.
• Mahr – Precision/calibration technology for QS/laboratories.
• Rubert – Reference standards for surface evaluation.
• 3M – Adhesive tapes, labels & PPE for testing.
• Testo – Climate/ΔT for stable test environments.
• PCE Instruments – Environmental/metrology & data loggers.
• Extech – Field/electrical instruments.
• Rotronic – Humidity/temperature & data loggers.
• OMEGA – Sensors, probes & data acquisition.
• Phoenix Instrument – Lab/testing equipment.
• Grant – Temperature/data loggers & stability control.
• SIS Verlag – Standards/guides & training materials.
• SATA – Accessories around compressed air.
• beschicht. – QS templates, QR/label sets & customized kits.

Direct to adhesion – or consulting & instrument configuration.