Comprehending Pull-Off Adhesion Testing

From JPCL, December 2020

By Rob Francis, R A Francis Consulting Services Pty Ltd

Pull-off adhesion testing is increasingly being specified and used by coating inspectors. Manufacturers have produced new equipment models and more papers are being published on the subject, but is this increased interest based on the testing’s ability to provide useful information on coating system performance, or is this a case of a test method being more attractive because it can produce a number—even if that number has little meaning? This article will look closely at pull-off testing—specifically, what is measured and what the results mean....