Principles of P Stresscoat Brittle Coating Experimental stress analysisPrinciples of Stresscoat” Table of Contents 1. Introduction Ii, Test Preparations Safety Precautions Loading and Testing Techniques Surface Preparation Selection of Spray Equipment IM. Coating Application Selecting ST Series Coating ‘Applying Undercoating ‘Applying Brittle Coating Drying of Brittle Coating Calibration Creep Correction Computing Stress IV. Detection of Cracks in Coating Normal Visual Inspection Red Dye Technique Statiflux or Stresscoat Photographing V. Measuring Strain Under Static Loading Tension Strains Compression Strains VI. Measuring Other Strains Sensitization for Small Strains Residual Stress Measurement Gross Strain by Flaking of Coating Vil. Outdoor Application of Stresscoat Vill, Miscellaneous Information Correcting for Pressure Etfect Care of Equipment, Airless Guns IX. Al-Temp Stresscoat (Ceramic Base) Introduction Theory of Operation Coating Selection Surface Preparation Coating Preparation Spraying Firing Loading rack Pattern Detection Spray Precautions X. Charts Chart No. 1 ST — series Coating Selection Chart No.2 ST — series Creep Correction Chart No. 3 All-Temp Coating Selection Chart No. 4 Strain Sensitivity Microinches/inch |. INTRODUCTION Engineering structures are designed to transmit loads. The basis of design always assumes that loads must low through a structure. Consideration of these factors assists the designer in deciding upon the shape and selection of materials. The primary role of Stress Analysis is to check a design for the distribution of the forces carried. In many cases a number of altemative designs are available and the best or acceptably least expensive must be selected To aid this study, loads which simulate service conditions often are applied to the structure, and strains measured at critical areas. When these critical areas (high stress) are not known in detail, the brittle coating method for experimental stress analysis is easily used for their detection. Information on the direction of the principal tensile strain is also given (coating cracks are perpendicular to the principal tensile strain). The coating provides a full field coverage allowing total study of the stress field, and approaches the ideal of an in- finitesimal gage length strain gage. The brittle coating will fracture in_re- ‘sponse to the surface strain beneath it. The coating indicates the direction and mag- nitude of stress within the elastic limit of the base material Stresscoat coatings provide a graphic picture of the distribution, direction, loca- tion, sequence and magnitude of tensile strains. The coating cracks at a predeter- mined value. This value is determined by a simple calibration method. Under normal conditions the range in which Stresscoatings crack is from 200 micro inches per inch to 3000 micro inches per inch. In terms of stress on steel these values are: 6000 Ibs. psi to 90,000 Ibs. psi. The qualitative picture of the stress dis- tribution obtained by Stresscoat provides immediate suggestions for design im- provements. With careful handling, it will yield quantitative results within + 10% accuracy, It should be noted that the surface strains produced by loading the structure crack the coating before strains ever reach the plastic level in the structure. More accurate quantitative values of the stress can be obtained by the use of strain gages, properly and precisely placed by information supplied through use of Stresscoat. Local yielding of ductite material is in- dicated by the flaking of the Stresscoat coating.U TEST PREPARATIONS Safety Precautions: The list of precautions on the inside cover of this manual should be carefully read and observed when using Stresscoat products. Ventilation of enclosed spray areas is necessary to prevent vapor build up. The chiorinated solvent system of Stress~ coat is non-flammable, thus there is no fire hazard in use and storage. Loading and Testing Techniques: Ingenuity practiced in loading of test specimens will provide successful applica- tions of Stresscoat tests. Control of the loading should be positive, ‘and allowance made for easy removal of the oad, Measurement of hese loads should be within 25% accuracy. Flexible joint arrangements should be considered to assure a uniform distribution of the load to the specimen. To apply loads, weights and levers can be utilized. Hydrostatic loading with pumps is a simple alternative. ‘Surface Preparation: Stresscoat has been successtully used on all types of metals, glass, wood and plastics, The surface of the test specimen must be cleaned by thorough removal of all dir, grease, loose scale and any paint which might soften when subjected to the chlori- nated soivents. Note: Some plastic surfaces which would be affected by the Stresscoat solvent system should be precoated, after cleaning, with a suitable material. This acts asa barrier coatto the subsequent applica- tion of the Stresscoat. Cleaning solvents which do not leave res- idue should be used, e.g. ST-1000A. Where scale, paint, etc. are removed by sand or shot blasting, care is necessary to ensure removal of all traces of grit, shot, moisture, and oil from the specimen surface, Any previously applied Stresscoat can be removed by scraping, wire brush, or sand- blasting. Vapor degreasing or chlorinated solvents will also remove the brittle coating. Selection of Spray Equipment Three types of spray guns recommended ‘a. Binks Bullows 630 b. Passche Air Brush . Binks Bullows L900 ‘The Binks Bullows 630 gun has air pres- sure control on the gun itself, as well as are control for fluid feed and spray pattern varia- tion. Using the 66SA nozzle on the gun, the spray pattem can be changed from a steady stream to a wide angle fan. This gun is a high volume type. particularly useful for large open surface spraying ‘The Passche Air Brush (Magnatiux Corp. PIN 3807) has a fluid feed control and spray pattern variation. This gun can be equipped with an extension which makes it especially useful for spraying small recessed filets. The Binks Bullows L900 is good for bulk spraying, it gives a round spray and is well suited to provide the even wet coat required. The manufacturers instructions should be followed to obtain the best spraying results. Gravity feed is the preferred method of fluid supply, although properly controlled pressure feed can be used satisfactorily. Air pressure should be set so that the gun merely atomizes the lacquer. Using gravity feed with the Passche gun the air pres- sure may need to be as high as. 1Kg/em@ (15 Ibs/in?) depending on the way it is set Up. The air supply to the Binks guns is usu- ally set at 1.4 Kg/eme? (20 Ibs/in?) Hoses and gaskets used in conjunction with Stresscoat materials must be of mate- fials resistant to chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents. Teflon, Nylon or low density polyethylene work satisfactorily. All hoses should be checked regularly for signs of deterioration. Air supplies must be kept free of oil and moisture. Water contamination will cause fish eye blisters on the lacquer, and oil will reduce the coating brittleness. Filters and traps should be incorporated in the air line before the gun. After use all soray equip- ment must be thoroughly cleaned. ST-3A thinner is recommended for this purpose ‘An altemate for the air supply may be obtained by the use of a nitrogen gas cyl- inder fitted with a regulator. The calibrator and strain scale. Ill, COATING APPLICATION Selecting ST series Coatings Stresscoat lacquers have a nominal threshold sensitivity of 500 microstrain at those temperatures and relative humidity conditions plotted on the coating selection chart No. 1. (See back page.) Selection of a suitable coating depends upon the temperature and relative humidity at the time of the test, as well as the required strain sensitivity. Example: Test conditions of temperature 70°F/21°C, relative humidity 30%. Locate the temperature on chart No. 1 and follow the ine until it intersects the line for 30% relative humidity. At this point itis ap- parent that ST-70F/21C will satisfy the pre- dicted test conditions and required sensitiv. ity of approximately 500 microstrain. Effects of change in relative humidity Strain sensitivity changes by approxi- ‘mately 4 microstrain per 1% change in rela- tive humidity Hf in the example above, the conditions had been the same with respect to tempera- tute, ie. 70°F/21°C, but the relative humidity had’ been 90%, the threshold sensitivity for ST-TOFI21C would have shifted 240 micro- strain above the nominal 500 microstrain to 740 microstrain. Under these conditions use of the chart indicates that ST-75F/24C should be used to maintain a lower thres- hold sensitivity. The coating loses brittleness and sen- sitivity shifts as relative humidity rises above 20%. This is only noticeable over large changes in relative humidity. Effects of Temperature The effect of temperature on Stresscoat coatings is 72 microstrain per 1°C change (40 microstrain per 1°F change). In lowering the temperature from 27°C to 23°C the thres-Principles of Stresscoat® Statitlux application on turbine biade, showing China marker zones from sequential loadings. hold sensitivity of ST-70F/21C at 80% rela- tive humidity would shift trom 790 micro- strain to 600 microstrain. As temperature rises above the ST number the coating sot- tens becomes more plastic, and thus loses sensitivity. The converse applies as tem- perature falls below the corresponding ST number. The lowest strain level attainable before thermal crazing occurs is 200 micro- strain. A simple, ready calculation is that 5°C change will cause a sensitivity shift fo 360 microstrain (5*F = 200 microstrain ‘change) whereas at constant temperature a 25% change in relative humidity will cause fa shift of 100 microstrain. Undercoating ST.860 is a non-flammable reflective undercoat which provides a uniform back- ground on either dull or polished surface eliminating any directional reflectance characteristics of the surface. ‘ST.850 should be sprayed at a distance of around 15 centimetres (6 ins.) from the sur- face, a uniform film should be achieved by application of several thin coats. The undercoating should be allowed to dry for a ‘minimum of thity minutes before the Stress- coat lacquer is applied. Should it become necessary o thin the undercoat for spraying ST.4 Undercoat Thinner should be used. Standard lacquer thinner can be used to clean the spray gun It ST.850 is applied from an aerosol can the container must be well shaken for sev- eral minutes. Should the can not spray im- mediately, shake again and pump the spray tip up and down 4 ter eeu Cee a ey Application of Stresscoat The coating must be built up slowly by applying several light coats, building up to a thickness of between 0.6mm (0.0025 in) to 0.1 1mm (0.0045 in). Coatings should not be applied so wet that they run nor so dry that they appear dusty. The first coat may not cover the surface evenly but this can be evened out by subsequent coatings. A minimum of 30 seconds should be allowed between passes to allow the solvent in the material to evaporate. A good spray tech- nique is essential, as improper application may produce indiscernable results. A good Stresscoat lacquer surface is a glossy pale yellow. Spray passes should be quick but steady, with a spray distance of about 45 cms (6 ins.) being maintained. Applica- tion of excessive material must be avoided as apart from the obvious problem of sag- ging, large bubbles will be frozen into the Coatings and thus distor the crack patterns. This will make useful interpretation ex- tremely difficut. The light dusting which may occur in ‘some areas will not hinder the performance of Stressooat coatings, provided the dusting is not excessive. Should heavy dusting oc- cur, @ 50/50 mixture of Stresscoat lacquer and ST.3A thinner may be sprayed over the area to dissolve the dust into the coating Runs can be’ avoided by passing rapidly across the part Coatings should be applied at about 3°C to 5°C (5 to 9°F) above the coating number for coatings St.70F/21C and above and at 21° (70°F) for coatings below ST.70F/21C. if itis not possible to spray the low numbered coatings at 20°C, care must be taken to allow the solvent more release time. Cool parts and low temperature will decrease the solvent release rate and this increases the tendency for the material to run and form enlarged bubbles. Spraying on hot (55°C/ 100°F) parts can cause frothing and dusting unigss correct care is observed. A light pass with ST.3A can be used to heal such a sur- face into a useable coating. ‘Spraying in high humidity may cause coating blush or fish eye blisters. The blush will dissipate during cure, blisters will not. However, a few scattered blisters will not generally affect test results. If blistering is Severe, itis best to clean off and start again. If bubble problemis are going to appear, this will be evident about 1 hour after spraying the lacquer. Calibration strips (3-6) should be sprayed at the same time as the test part, and under the same conditions. These are then used to determine the actual sensitivity of the coat- ing at the time of the test. Drying Once the coatings have been applied they must be dried for at least 24 hours. Coatings ST.70F/21C and above are dried at about 3°C-5°C above the coating rating. Coatings below ST 70FI21C are dried at 21°C. Once the coating is dry (this is indi- Cated when the coating will flake off when a sharp object is pressed against it) the tem- perature is allowed to drop to that of the test-slowly. The part temperature should be allowed to stabilize before testing is started. Calibration strips must undergo the same conditions as the test part. Rapid cooling should be avoided as thermal crazing maycour, similarly parts and calibration bars should be protected from cool air currents which may cause localized crazing. Coating drying can be accelerated by al- lowing the coating after spraying to air dry for 1 hour, then elevate the temperature to 90° (to 120°F) fora period of 2to 4 hours. The Coating is then allowed to coo! slowly until equilibrated to the test temperature, This heat curing will provide a faster drying period for the coating. it will also provide a more uniform threshold for varying thick- ‘ness of coating on the test part. Calibration of Coating The calibration strps (Magnaflux P/N 24872) which have been prepared in identi- cal conditions with those for the test piece are loaded prior to actual part testing. The bars are placed in the loading device (Magnafiux IN 24870) and the thumb screw tightened until the end of the bar makes contact with the cam. Avoid overtightening of the thumb screw. in order to correct for coating creep, the cams rotated at an even rate over the same length of time as the test part. The Creep chart (back page) gives average creep data for Stresscoat lacquers. While the test bar is still under oad the least. distinct crack is marked with a wax pencil The load on the bar is released and the strip placed in the strain calibrator (Magnaflux PIN 24878). The microstrain sensitivity of the coating is then read from the calibrator at the point marked on the bar. The calibration technique for measuring compression strains is more complex. The Coatings can be made to respond to com- pressive strains in two ways: 1. Coat the calibration bar and place it in the calibrator, coated side down. De- press cam and allow bar to dry in loaded condition. Release of cam will permit patterns to form on the bar in a ‘manner similartothose occurring inthe normal tension calibration technique 2, Coat and dry the bar in normal fashion. Place the bar in the calibration fixture, coated side down, and depress the cam. The coating is now under com- pression and should remain so for pre- determined period of time, depending on the nature of the test. At the end of this period of time, release of the cam will produce patterns similar to those found under tension calibration techniques. Creep Correction Stresscoat is normally considered to be a very brittle material which fractures readily. However, under the influence of time and load, the coatings tend to creep and relieve the stress within the coating which was in- duced by the original load placed on the base structure. In most tests, the time required to toad and unload a structure is such that the coat- ings are placed in a condition different from their initial state. For example, a part is loaded to some value and then the load is removed. The coating has flowed or tem- porarily stretched, requiring a certain ‘amount of time to reach its normal relaxed state. Since this occurs it is important to realize that to obtain accurate calibrated Coatings it is essential to know the exact, state of the coating. Therefore, creep is a factor which must be taken into considera- tion on all tests, ‘There are two ways in which a creep cor- rection can be applied. The first methodisto load the calibration bar inthe same length of time as taken to load the structure. In this, way the coating on both calibration bar and test part are in the same condition and the strain threshold value will be reasonably accurate. Inthe second method, the calibra- tion bar can be loaded in one second and the correct value for its strain threshold obtained from the Creep Correction Chart No. 2 for the length of time taken to apply each increment of load on the structure. When control of loading is too awkward to allow release of load between increments, then it is necessary to continually add load and correct for creep of the coating, using Chart No. 2. Load must be added at a con- stant rate, This need not be a continuous increase of load. It may be a series of equal increments added at equal intervals of time. ‘The calibration bar should be loaded in one second and the strain threshold obtained as the pattems appear on the structure. The actual value of strain present is derived from Chart No. 2 by locating the total length of time since the start of the test along the abscissa. The apparent strain value is inter- polated in the family of curves and the ac- tual strain value appears as the ordinate of the intersection, Creep of Stresscoat coatings must always be contended with. There are few conditions where creep can be ignored, with the possi- ble exception of impact loads. If the creep correction chart technique is not used then it is essential to deflect the calibration bar in the same length of time taken to apply the load to the test part Computing Stress from Strain ‘Apparent stress is computed by multiply- ing strain by the simple tension modulus of elasticity of the material used in the struc- ture under test, regardless of the type of loading. For example, if the first crack in a coated steel structure occurred at 60 micro- inches the apparent stress would be (600 x 10) x (30 x 108) = 18,000 psi. Representative values of the tension ‘moduli of elasticity for several common en- gineering materials are: Steel 30,000,000 psi Gray Cast Iron .. 15,000,000 Alloy Cast Iron 20,000,000 Malieable Iron 25,000,000 Brass and Bronze ..... 15,000,000 Monel “ 25,000,000 ‘Aluminum and Dural ... 10,000,000 Magnesium ... 6,000,000 Bakelite ‘600,000 Celluloid 400,000 Wood 500,000 to 2,000,000 IV. DETECTION OF CRACKS IN COATING Crack Pattern Detection Cracks are readily detected if a light source is held at an angle to the test surface. The crack patterns for coatings with a sen- sitivity lower than 900 microstrain will re- main open after load is released and can be detected with the light source method. In the case of a coating with a strain sensitivity above 900 microstrain, it must be checked while under load as the cracks will close on load release. Stresscoat crack pattems can be ren- dered more visible, especially for photo- graphy, by using Statiflux powder. Statiflux is a process whereby a special electrostati- cally charged powder (SXP-1) is applied to a surface. The powder builds up at crack interfaces. Statiflux electrolyte penetrant (ST.302) is applied to the coating and al- lowed to enter the cracks. ST-304 Penetrant Concentrate, which when diluted in an ap- proximate ratio of 1 part Concentrate to 25 parts water makes ST.302, The excess penetrant is removed from the surface with a soft tissue and then Statiflux powder is sprayed on. This method is especially good in detecting cracks on coatings of strain sensitivities above 900 microstrain. ST.300 red dye penetrant may also be used to enhance the visibility of cracks. In this case coatings must be thicker than normal, a coating of not less than 0.0mm (0.0035 ins) is required. The penetrant is applied under load allowing a dwell time of 5 minutes. The load is then released and excess surface penetrant wiped off with a soft cloth. The cracks will be stained red. By using ST-301 developer the cracks may be made even more visible. 5Principles of Stresscoat® Crack Enhancement for Photographs Use Statifiux if at all possible. Crack pat- tems can be photographed without using the ST-300 red dye or Statiflux if the crack patterns are generally oriented in one direc- tion. The technique is to use lighting nearly parallel with the surface and perpendicular to the cracks. Equipment and Technique Best results are obtained using a camera with through-the-lens viewing, such as a 35mm single lens reflex or larger view cam- era. An electronic flash works well under ‘most conditions when used with an exten- sion cord so that side lighting can be used even though the camera is directly facing the coated object. A flashlight or low power drop light is valuable in finding the optimum lighting for each part. The Stresscoated surface is very reflective, therefore some experimentation is necessary to achieve the lighting con« tions which prevent reflections from mark- ing the crack patterns. As a general guide, se side lighting, with the light perpendicu- lar to the majority of cracks, ‘An electronic flash is preferred, because the camera can easily be hand held with a fast shutter speed and a small aperature for good depth of field, Using an ASA 80 film and lens opening of F16, the typical flash unit can be about 3 ft. away for good expo- sures. This technique facilitates holding a 35mm camera in hand, and requires minimum photography time, A flood light can be used as a primary light source, but requires the use of a tripod because of the slow shutter speeds. High wattage lights, such as a No. 2 phototiood, should be used with caution since it will heat the Stresscoat and cause the cracks to heal. A 75 watt household flood light works well as a light source for black and white film, A label should be included in each photo to indicate the load applied, the threshold strain, or other data pertinent to the test. V. MEASURING STRAIN UNDER STATIC LOADING Tension Strains Brittle coatings fracture at right angles to the principal tension strains. As load is in- creased on a structure, areas which are most highly strained in tension will be the first to form patterns, These areas of maximum tension stress usually correlate with location of fatigue failure in service. Data received from a Stresscoat test may pattern of crack growth, be used to obtain quantitative results when 6 Static Loading. This isa sequence of tension loading on new designs of connecting rods. Note thecertain conditions are fulfilled. These are: (1) the material of the structure must remain in its elastic range, and (2) the distribution of loading must not change. When these two conditions are fulfilled the assumption that all local strains vary directly in proportion with the load will be valid. Then, the strain measured at one value of load can be extra- olated to other values of load. Under some conditions it may be necessary to cause localized yielding in order to obtain patterns on other areas of the structure. If the areas which have yielded have not appreciably changed the shape of the structure or dis tribution of load, the results will be valid When a preliminary analysis indicates that stress is not proportional to load, greater accuracy may be obtained by using Coatings with the ability to crack at or near the predicted load. A preliminary test run helps to establish approximate values of local strains. Additional quantitative accu- racy can be obtained by using strain gages at the points and directions of maximum stress indicated by Stresscoat As patterns form on the structure, the position and direction in which they occur should be recorded along with the threshold strain value of the coating. Record the ‘amount of load placed on the structure and the time taken to reach that load. Frequently itis desirable to mark the patter directly on the test structure with a marking pencil, ball point pen, or scriber. Strain pattems which have just formed give the most accurate quantitative results. Sometimes initial patterns are difficult to lo- cate. When in doubt circle dubious patterns and observe their growth as load is in- creased. In orderto be sure that pattems are observed in their intial stages of formation, itis best to limit each additional increment of load to 25% or less of the preceding total load. The general procedure for measuring tension strains is as follows. Apply load to a predetermined value, hold while checking for petterns, and re- move load. Allow the test structure to rest for at least twice the total length of time of the preceding loading cycle. This permits the Coating to relax. Load and unioad to higher increments of load in a similar fashion, until full analysis has been made. Always load calibration bars in the same length of time taken to reach each load on the structure. It may be useful to vary the calibration tech- nique by loading the bar in one second and obtaining the correct value tor its strain threshold from the Creep Correction Chart No. 2. ‘Sometimes itis difficult to control loading and allow release of load between incre- ments. It may be necessary to continually add load and correct for creep of the coating by means of the aforementioned Creep Cor- rection Chart No. 2. Under these conditions, add load at a constant rate. This need not be a continuous increase of load. It may be a series of equal increments added at equal intervals of time. Total length of time from the star of the testis the correct time value to use. Compression Strains ‘A complete stress analysis involves both tension and compression strains. After ten- n tests are completed, compression strains can be obtained by maintaining the full load on the part. Under load, the coating creeps and tends to relax. When the load is removed, the relaxing compression strains react on the coating producing cracks just as if they were tension strains. Coatings on loaded structures reach a neutral condition in abouttwo hours, Results can be obtained with a shorter loading time; however, variations in coating thicknesses will introduce inaccuracies in obtaining ut form threshold strain values. Relaxation Chart 3-A illustrates how the strain threshold is affected by the length of time the load is held on the test part The speed with which a load is released also affects the threshold strain. As the re~ lease time is shortened, threshold strain is lowered, When release time is measured in fractions of a second, and the hold time is at least an hour and a half, threshold strains approach those obtained with tension strains, Refer to Chart3-B for more complete data. The calibration bar must be treated with the same hold and release time as the test part, Be sure to invert the calibration bar in the calibrator in orderto place the coating in compression. ‘An altemate method of obtaining com- pression strain results is to dry the coating hile the test part is under load. The part may be coated while under load or sprayed, and then loaded. Be sure to treat calibration bars in the same manner as the test part Atypical compression test is operated in essentially the same manner as a tension test. In this case the load increments are removed instead of being added as was the case with tension tests. In other words, the load which is removed is the actual load that is being applied to the coating, Creep is a factor in compression tests just as it was in tension tests. Coatings must be returned to their initial state and allowed to rest in the normal fashion described in an earlier section. Locate crack patterns after removing increments of load since cracks seldom remain open after load is re-applied, VI. MEASURING OTHER STRAINS Sensitization: Measuring Small Strains It is offen useful to obtain a qualitative picture of stress distribution of very small strains. When Stresscoat patterns are not obtained on areas of interest, the direction of principal strain may be determined by sensitizing the coating while the structure is under load. The simplest means of sensitization is by chilling the coating with ice water, cold air, or snow from a carbon dioxide fire extin- (uisher which can lower the threshold strain level to a minimum of 50 Ml. Successful sensitization techniques de- pend upon practice. Better definition of stress pattems is oblained by less severe cooling. For example, itis betterto apply the cooling carbon dioxide cloud from a dis- tance and work towards the part, rather than blast the piece at close range. Ice water applied by cloth or spray is better than plac- ing ice in direct contact with the part Measuring Residual Stress Stresscoat is useful for the measurement of residual stresses whenever they are of an appreciable amount. Stresses induced by processing or assembly in most type of ma- terials can be measured with Stresscoat using a technique involving the drilling of small holes. This method permits the mea- ‘surement of stresses only at the point where a hole is drilled. The removal of material from a stressed part causes the surrounding area to indicate strain. These strains are ‘comparatively small and results can be ob- tained only by sensitizing the coatings. The steps used in this technique are as follows: 4. Apply @ coating which will have a thres- hold strain value of 200 to 600 Mil. The re- quired threshold strain can be obtained by selecting a coating from two to four numbers above that indicated by the chart. Crazing can be prevented by drying at temperatures from 10 to 20° above room temperature. ‘After drying, bring the part to equilibrium with room temperature and sensitize a small sample area with COe or coo! water. If the coating crazes, you are ready to proceed with the test. (Crazing is essential in order to obtain quantitative results.) 2, Drill a hole to a depth equal to the dril diameter. A tungsten carbide tipped Ye" diameter drill is a good average size to use on steel. Drills as small as '/ae" diameter may be used. Larger sizes will produce larger pattems, It is best to use a mechani- 7Principles of Stresscoat® cal drill rather than a power drill. This pre~ vents heating of the base material at the hole. 3. Immediately after drilling, sensitize the area surrounding the hole with COz or cool water until crazing occurs as above. 4, Residual tension produces radiating star pattems, whereas residual compression is indicated by a circular pattern surrounding the hole, The boundary between the pattern and the surrounding craze is not distinct. The amount of strain can be estimated by ‘measuring the size of the pattern extending from the edge of the hole to the boundary of the surrounding craze in terms of drill hole diameters. Allow 700 MI per hole diameter. For example, if a pattern extends 4" away from the edge of a ¥e" hole in steel, residual strain present at the hole is 1400 Ml, This is approximately 42,000 psi of residual stress in the steel Generally, there seems to be no practical advantage in drilling deeper than the depth ‘equal to one diameter. The section of mate- rial lying next to the surface, and within the first one-quarter diameter of the hole in depth, appears to contribute about half the reaction tothe pattern. The remaining layers at greater depths contribute lessening ‘amounts to the residual reaction. Ifa rough ‘evaluation of residual stresses below the surface is desired, machine off the surface and repeat Stresscoat test as described earlier. Indicating Gross Strain by Flaking of Coating Brittle coatings flake off during yielding. Flaking is a direct function of the compres- sion strain present and the most sensitive coating will begin flaking at 1% compres- sion strain. A tension strain of 2% will also cause tlaking because Poisson's ratio is 0.5, at yield. Torsion or shear loading will cause flaking at 1% strain. Bi-axial stress occuring ‘on the surface of a sphere loaded hydro- statically will not cause flaking, because a compression component is not present on the surface. ‘The most sensitive flaking coating is 20 numbers above the optimum for elastic strain measurement as indicated on the Coating selection chart. These coatings should be applied moderately thin (.002- '004"), Sensitive flaking coatings craze so completely during drying that they cannot be used to indicate elastic strain. Vil. OPERATING STRESSCOAT OUTDOORS: Satisfactory results with Stresscoat can be obtained outdoors under a wide variety 8 ‘of temperature conditions. Tests should be run at the temperature desired as the out- door temperatures swing through their daily cycle. Outdoor temperatures usually reach @ ‘minimum value at about 7:00AM. Maximum temperatures occur at about 3:00 P.M. and start to drop slowly at 5:00 P.M, The difer- fence between minimum and maximum temperatures ordinarily is of the order of 20°F, The Weather Bureau can usually give {reasonable prediction of the temperature to be expected during time of test. If the temperatures are off more than expected and threshold strains are not satistactory, it is often possible to wait until the conditions reach a favorable point and then run the test. ‘An excellent operating procedure for use in the summertime is as follows: Coat the parts in the moming and allow to dry all afternoon. Protect the parts from di rect sunlight during drying andttesting. Start testing operations after the temperature has started to drop. Test calibration bars from time to time. When the threshold strain reaches an appropriate value, begin the test There is another procedure that can be used. Coat the parts in the afternoon with a coating selected for the temperatures ex- pected the next morning. Dry the parts and calibration bars indoors at a temperature of ‘70°F or more, overnight. Next moming, an hour or two prior to test time, take a calibra- tion bar outdoors. After bar has reached temperature equilibrium, note whether it crazes. If it does not craze, note the thres- hold strain and bring the test part outdoors. After the structure has been brought out- doors, wait for it to reach temperature ‘equilibrium. In this case the threshold value of strain is rising continuously as the tem- perature rises during the moming. If the structures are constructed of thin sheet metal, cover with cloth or paper in ‘order to reduce their cooling rate. Sudden ‘cooling of the structure may craze the coat- ing. In all cases avoid subjecting parts to draits or strong winds. When proper condi- tions are reached, remove coverings and begin the test. Avoid direct rays of sunlight. Always Statifiux the patterns at the test temperatures. Vill. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Correction for Direct Pressure Effect in Hydraulic Loading Direct fluid pressure on a coating surface has a sensitization effect. Approximately 1500 psig direct pressure will start indis- criminate tension patterns on coated sur- faces. The pressure effect can be calibrated 15,470 RPM 19,090 RPM Dynamic Loading. This sequence of pictures shows the crack pattern growth, with rota- tional speed increases. by taking a test coupon similar to that of the structure and testing it and the calibration bars inside the structure. Typical tests are very similar to other sta- tic loads except that water must be removed ‘rom the interior ofthe test object after each increment of load is applied and removed. ‘The part is examined for patterns and calib- ration bars tested in the usual manner. AS the pressure loads increase and eventually reach 1500 psig indiscriminate patterns will begin forming on the test coupon. The true20,500 RPM value of strain can. be computed from the following formula: $8 =51 xP5P where: 1 = Pressure at which strain pattems on structure first observed Ps = Pressure at which pattems began forming on test coupon $= The true value of strain ‘Ss = Observed strain It itis not possible to reach 1500 psi dur- ing the test and observe the direct pressure effect on the coated test coupon, a satistac- tory approximation may be made by assum- 19 Ps to be 1600 psi. Care of Equipment Spray gun for brittle coating Remove surplus coating material rom the Cup and fluid passage of the gun, Rinse with ‘ST-3A thinner several times before storing. Air passages can be cleaned by pouring thinner over the nozzle, letting it drain into the passages and then blowing air through the gun. Repeat this procedure several times. Be careful to remove coating material from the gasket and air vent on the cap of the cup. If the fluid hose has been used, clean with thinner and dry by blowing air through it, Degreasing may be used on all parts of the gun, except in the handle. Spray gun using undercoating Clean the undercoating residue fom the gun as prescribed above, but use ST-4 thinner. Calibrator Remove coating material which has ac- ‘cumulated on the cam surface by scraping ‘or wiping with thinner ST-3A. Calibration Bars ‘Always clean calibration bars with ST-3A before coating. Vapor degreasing may be used early in the cleaning stages, however, always follow this treatment with the ST-3A. Remove coatings from used calibration bars by scraping or wire brushing, and then washing with solvent Crack patterns in fillets and around bases are shown here in miscellaneous parts.All-Temp Stresscoat® (ceramic base) 1X. ALL-TEMP STRESSCOAT® (ceramic base) Introduction Stresscoat All-Temp is a ceramic base brittle coating used to analyze stresses, de- signs and loadings on parts. ts develop ment has extended the useful operating range of the standard Stresscoat brite coat- ing. It provides a method for studying operating stresses where temperatures may reach 700°F or operation in water and oil, or for prolonged out-of-doors testing. The coat- ings are sprayed onto a part, air dried, and then fired at about 1000°F. The fired coat- ings are gloss-like and brittle, and their op- eration is similar to Stresscoat resin type coatings, inasmuch as the coatings fracture at predetermined amount of tensile strain and at right angles to the principal strain. ‘Theory of Operation Al-Temp coatings are designed to match the mean linear thermal coefficient of ex- pansion of the metal being tested over the temperature range where tests are run. AS coatings of different mean C/E (coefficient of expansion) are selected, the strain sen- sitivity varies accordingly. For example, if a coating is made with the C/E greater than that of the metal, less strain will be needed to crack the coating because cooling from firing temperature induces a residual ten- sion stress in the coating. This is due to the greater contraction of coating that starts oc- curring just below the firing temperature. Conversely, a small C/E will crack only at higher strains, because of an induced re- sidual compression stress in the coating ‘The above indicates that a coating selection must be based on the C/E of the metal. The eight different All-Temp coatings now de- veloped and available are prepared on this basis, Itis recommended that the strain sensitiv: ity of a coating on particular metal be de- termined by calibration, because accurate determination of the linear thermal coetfi- cient of expansion of metals is a difficult matter. Measuring equipment for C/E is elaborate and expensive and many factors atfect the measured results. A few of these are: the method of measuring, size of specimen, thermal history, composition, and temperature range of measurement. As ‘a consequence, even published results will vary considerably. Calibration can be done most easily by the method used in calibrating Stresscoat using calibration bars, and Stresscoat calibrator and Strain Scale. In this case, however, the calibration bar must be made of the same metal as the test part. The bars 10 are 1" x Ye" x 12" in size, of which the.250" dimension must be held closely. In general, however, calibration can be obtained from any known strain distribution, as on tensile bar specimens, for example, Coating Selection The All-Temp coating selection chart is intended as an approximate guide for selecting a coating and not for determining the strain sensitivity accurately. Strain sen sitivity should be determined by calibration as discussed above. At present there are eight coatings available for carbon steels, straight chromium, austenitic chromium- nickel stainless steels, cast irons and titanium. Coatings are most useful in the medium and lower range of CIE (see chart) ‘and have a limited usefulness due to poorer strain sensitivity in the higher range, For ‘example, on 1098 steel (medium range) the strain sensitivity range is from about 300 to about 1800 microinches and on 410 stain- less (lower range) itis from 300 to about 1500 microinches. Conversely, on high Cie ranges, sensitivities may range only above 1800 microinches. The greatest sensitivity attainable is about 200 microinches for at this point the coatings are about to craze With the present coatings this crazing gen- erally occurs only for metals with a C/E of about 7.2 X 10% init or less. Strain sensitivity does not vary appreci ably with temperatures to 600°F. This is shown by the strain sensitivity vs. tempera- ture curves. The effects of higher tempera- tures, however, are the results of both tem- peratures and the characteristics of the metal’s expansion curve. As an example, coatings on 1090 and 347 stainless steels show an increase in sensitivity with temper- alure. This is an unexpected result Surface Preparation A properly prepared surface is essential to the successful operation of Stresscoat All-Temp coatings. The surface must be free of oil, grease, rust and scale. It should be velvety smooth (not polished). The best method of surface preparations is by blast- ing with one of the various types. Sand, ste! {grit silicon carbide, alumina or vapor blast are all suitable, The size of grt and air pres- sure are somewhat varied depending on the surface condition of the metal. Soft surfaces require lower pressures and a fine grt. For hard surfaces higher pressures and large grit is more suitable. Grit sizes or air pres- sure is not critical so that a grit size range from 16 to 100 mesh and air pressures from 40 to 100 psi are usable. An example of a satisfactory combination is a grit size of 24 10.36 mesh with 50 psi of air pressure. This will produce a clean surface which is also roughened to a velvety finish and ready to be coated. Coating Preparation All-Temp coatings settle out after stand- ing. They are a mixture of finely milled ceramic particles which must be thoroughly mixed and in suspension before being used. Mixing and suspension is easily ob- tained by first stirring the coating in the con- tainer with an appropriate implement and then shaking the container vigorously. The coatings have the proper consistency for spraying as supplied, and have a specific gravity of about 2.2. When desirable, con- sistency can be adjusted by adding AT-201 thinner in very small amounts. Spraying The best method for applying All-Temp is by spraying. The recommended technique and equipment is similar to that used with Stresscoat, and the same type gravity feed high qualiy Air Brush is recommended, The purpose of a spraying technique is to apply coatings of a definite and uniform thickness. A number of dependent factors effect technique! The most important ones are: air pressure, fluid control, distance of gun and gun movement, The gun must be moved in a decisive manner and also at a uniform distance from the part. This dis- tance will vary depending on the object being sprayed, but usually is about 4 to 5 inches. The air pressure used is influenced considerably by the size and shape of the part. Small parts and complex sections will eed 5 to 10 psi, whereas larger parts will require 15 to 20 psi, because a greater out- put is needed. Since low pressures are Used, the gravity feed type of spray gun is recommended. Itallows free flow of coating enough at low pressures. The fluid flow ad- justment is determined by the air pressure. It should be set to produce a wet spray with enough fluid to “wet-out” the coating, and this will produce a smooth coating, This will give a glossier fired coating. The applied Coating is about .003 to 008 inches thick. It is recommended that small areas should be sprayed to this thickness before spraying adjacent areas. This is because the coating dries rapidly and rewetting a dried coating tends to produce blisters which will result in poor fired coating. Because the coating tends to settle, even in the gun, itis neces- sary to agitate the coatings periodically during spraying. Firing ‘The sprayed and dried coating of a build- up of finely divided ceramic particles whichmust be fused in a smooth glossy coating ‘An electric furnace with an oxidizing atmo- sphere of air should be used for firing the coatings. Firing is a matter of time and tem- erature. The temperature range is 950° to 1100°F and 1000°F seems optimum. The fir- ing time depends upon the size of the parts, their thickness and the furnace capacity. ‘The essential requirement is that parts are heated to the firing temperature and held at that temperature. The condition of the coat- ing is best determined by observing it at intervals during firing. A fired coating be- ‘comes smooth and glossy, however, the degree is dependent on the coating ‘number, AT-20 is most glossy; AT-90is least Glossy and has a rough surface. Overfiring slightly is preferred to underfiring, When parts have sections of large vari- ations is metal thickness, uneven heating will occur and the coating on thin sec tions may be overfired. The following firing schedule will reduce this tendency on such parts; first heat the part to about 850°F. Then, when the part is uniformly heated, in- ‘crease the temperature to 1000"F and com- plete firing. This method tends to reduce the time at which thin sections are at firing temperature, When fired to a glossy smooth coat, the parts are removed from the furnace and air ‘cooled to room temperature. They are then ready for the testing, Loading With Stresscoat All-Temp the loading of parts can be done under many conditions ‘not possible with standard Stresscoat, and without reference to humidity conditions. Now stress, design, and loading problems ‘can be tested in any of the following ways: 1. Actual operating stresses in service where part temperatures may go to 70°F 2. Operation where cyclic thermal stress- ing is an important loading on parts, as may be found in furnaces where alter- nating cycles of heating and cooling may have caused failures. 8. Dynamic or static condition even though water, oll or other mild liquids are present (strong acids or bases not recommended). 4, Dynamic tests at high RPM. where abrasion of air or dust would damage the softer Stresscoat coatings. 5. Slow loading tests where loads in- crease to maximum over several hours to peak loads. 6. Tests out-of-doors for indefinite lengths oftime. As an example, an axleonacar fr truck can be put into service for a ‘month, and results obtained. Stresscoat All-Temp can also be used ‘under normal room temperature conditions, 2s well. Far higher accuracy of strain mea- surement is practical with Standard Stress- Coat resin coatings, where they can be used, but the All-Temp will give a nearly: as-valuable qualitative stress pattern pic- ture as the standard Stresscoat Crack Patter Detection Crack pattems occuring in All-Temp coat- ings cannot be seen and must be detected by the use of Stafiflux. The method is the ‘most sensitive to find cracks in ceramics by means of an electrostatically charged pow- der. When the charged powder is applied, by means of a special gun, it builds up over the crack to make it readily visible. The method is similar to that when Statiflux is used on standard Stresscoat, but with the ‘exception that penetrant need not be intro- duced in the crack to obtain patterns. Stati- flux is available as kit type ST-200 Statiflux on Stresscoat kit. Safety Precautions The vehicle used in these coatings, is flammable and ceramic material has a high Content of hazardous inorganic chemicals, especially lead. The following safety pre- ‘cautions to be taken are: Keep cans away trom heat and open flame. Avoid vapor or ‘dust inhalation, by use of a respirator spray booth. Use with adequate ventilation, and before smoking or eating cleanse hands thoroughly. "tf H-H4 PTT ----A onan not (CHART NO.2 STRESSCOAT COATING SELECTION CHART SSTRESSCOKT COATING CREEP COMRECTION CHART Te Sk a Sa EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE EEE ay eet oe erate . Gove nen awa eae ee: