NACE COATING INSPECTOR STUDY
MATERIALS QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
VERIFIED ANSWERS
NACE #1/SSPC-SP5 Ans: WHITE METAL BLAST CLEANING. When
viewed without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil,
grease, dust dirt, mill shcale, rust , coating, oxides, corrosion products
and other foreign matter.
NACE #2/SSPC-SP 10 Ans: NEAR WHITE METAL BLAST CLEANING.
When viewed without magnification the surface shall be free from visible
oil, grease, dust, dirt, mill scale, rust, coating, oxides, corrosion products,
and other foreign matter. Random staining shall be limited to no more
than 5% of each unit area of surface and may consist of lighshadows,
slight streaks, or minor discolorations caused by stains of rust, stains of
mill scale or stains of previously applied coatings.
NACE #3/SSPC-SP-6 Ans: COMMERCIAL BLAST CLEANING. When
viewed without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil,
grease, dust, dirt, mill scale, rust, coating, oxides, corrosion products,
and other foreign matter. Random staining shall be limited to no more
than 33% of each unit area of surface and may consist of light shadows,
slight streaks, or minor discolorations caused by stains of rust, stains of
mill scale or stains of previously applied coatings.
NACE #8/SSPC-SP14 Ans: INDUSTRIAL BLAST CLEANING. When viewed
without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease,
dust, and dirt. Traces of light adherent mill scale, rust, and coating
residues are allowed to remain on 10% of each unit area of the surface if
the are randomly distributed. The traces of mill scale, rust and coating
are considered tightly adherent if they cannot be removed by lifting with
a dull putty knife. Shadows, streaks and discolorations caused by stains
of rust, stains of mill scale, or stains of previously applied coatings may
be present on the remainder of the surface.
NACE #4/SSPC-SP-7 Ans: BRUSH-OFF BLAST CLEANING. When viewed
without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease,
, Page | 2
dust, dirt, loose mill scale, loose rust, and loose coating. Tightly adherent
mill scale, rust and coating may remain on the surface. Mill scale, rust
and coating are considered tightly adherent if they cannot be removed by
lifting a dull putty knife.
SA 3 Ans: BLAST CLEANING TO VISUALLY CLEAN STEEL. When viewed
without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease,
dust dirt, mill scale, rust , coating, oxides, corrosion products and other
foreign matter. It shall have a uniform metallic color
SA 2 1/2 Ans: VERY THOROUGH BLAST CLEANING. When viewed
without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease,
dust dirt, mill scale, rust , coating, oxides, corrosion products and other
foreign matter. Any remaining traces of contamination will show only as
slight stains in the form of spots or stripes.
SA 2 Ans: THOROUGH BLAST CLEANING. When viewed without
magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease, dust dirt,
mill scale, rust , coating, oxides, corrosion products and other foreign
matter. Any residual contamination shall be firmly adhering
SA 1 Ans: LIGHT BLAST CLEANING. When viewed without magnification
the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease, dust, dirt, mill scale, rust
, paint coatings, and foreign matter.
ST 2 Ans: THOROUGH HAND AND POWER TOOL CLEANING. When
viewed without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil,
grease, dust, dirt, and from poorly adhering mill scale, rust , paint
coatings, and foreign matter
ST 3 Ans: VERY THOROUGH HAND AND POWER TOOL CLEANING. Same
as ST 2, but the surface shall be treated much more thoroughly to give a
metallic sheen arising from the the metallic substrate. When viewed
without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease,
dust, dirt, and from poorly adhering mill scale, rust , paint coatings, and
foreign matter
SSPC-SP 2 Ans: HAND TOOL CLEANING. Hand tool cleaning removes all
loose mill scale, rest, paint, and other detrimental foreign matter. It is
not intended that adherent mill scale, rust and paint be removed by this
, Page | 3
process. Mill scale, rust, and paint are considered adherent if they cannot
be removed with a dull putty knife.
SSOC-SP 3 Ans: POWER TOOL CLEANING. Power tool cleaning removes
all loose mill scale, rest, paint, and other detrimental foreign matter. It is
not intended that adherent mill scale, rust and paint be removed by this
process. Mill scale, rust, and paint are considered adherent if they cannot
be removed with a dull putty knife
SSPC-SP 15 Ans: COMMERCIAL GRADE POWER TOOL CLEANING. A
commercial grade power tool cleaned surface when viewed without
magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease, dust dirt,
mill scale, rust , coating, oxides, corrosion products and other foreign
material, except as noted in Section 2.2 of the standard. Random staining
shall be limited to no more than 33% of each unit area of surface.
Staining may consist of light shadows, slight streaks, or minor
discolorations caused by rust, mill scale, or previously applied coatings.
Slight residues of rest and paint may also be left in the bottom of the pits
if the original surface is pitted.
SSPC-SP 11 Ans: POWER TOOL CLEANING TO BARE METAL. A steel
surface cleaned with power tools to bare metal when viewed without
magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil, grease, dust dirt,
mill scale, rust , coating, oxides, corrosion products and other foreign
matter. Slight residues of rust and paint may also be left in the bottom of
the pits if the original surface is pitted. The surface profile roughness
shall be a minimum of 1.o mil as measured in accordance with Method C
of ASTM D4417 or other mutually agreed upon method. The peaks and
valleys on the surface shall form a continuous pattern with no smooth,
unprofiled spots in between.
Cathode Ans: More noble region where electrons are consumed.
Reduction occurs at the cathode
Anode Ans: Part of the metal that corrodes. Oxidation occurs at the
anode
Return Path (Metallic Pathway) Ans: Connects cathode and anode and
allows passage of electrons generated at the anode to the cathode
, Page | 4
Electrolyte Ans: Medium that conducts ionic (rather than electronic)
current
Negative Electrode Ans: Zinc case which corresponds to the anode in a
corrosion cell
High Voltage Detection Types Ans: 1. Rolling Spring 2. Smooth
Neoprene Flaps 3. Bristle Brush
Low Voltage Detectors Battery Range is: Ans: 5-120V DC
General Types of Holiday Detectors Ans: 1. Low voltage DC 2. High
voltage DC 3. High voltage pulsed DC 4. High voltage AC
Adhesion Failures May be Caused by: Ans: 1. Contaminated surface 2.
Wrong surface prep. 3. Insufficient profile 4. Exceeding topcoat window
Checking can be Described as: Ans: Line cracks in the coating surface
Causes of Cracking Ans: 1. Stress from movement 2. Internal stress as
coating ages
Common Cause of Blistering Ans: Surface contaminants: oil, moisture,
and/or grease
Pinholes are: Ans: Small holes in the coating
Vacoules or voids are typically caused by: Ans: Air trapped in coating
during mixing
Cratering may be caused by: Ans: Air trapped in coating
A powdery, friable layer on the surface of a coating common with epoxy
coatings is: (caused by UV reaction) Ans: Chalking
Runs, sags and wrinkles are caused by: Ans: 1. Coating applied too
thickly 2. Too much thinner 3. Surface too hot 4. Improper spray
technique