Enhance Your Knowledge, Skills
The heart of the annual SSPC conference and exhibition is its technical program and training opportunities. This year, more than 100 presentations, lectures, discussion panels and demonstrations will be delivered in Tampa, while another 19 courses designed to train a range of coating professionals in the various areas of the ever-evolving industry will be offered through the Training Program Schedule.
Award-Winning Session
Of all the presentations scheduled for this year’s conference, one was deemed as deserving recognition as the President’s Lecture Series Award winner for 2017. "Too Deep or Too Shallow – Can Surface Profiles be Changed by Additional Blast Cleaning?” will be presented by KTA-Tator Inc.’s William Corbett, PCS on Wednesday (Feb. 1) from 3 to 5 p.m.
The President’s Lecture Series Award is given annually by the SSPC President, who chooses an outstanding paper presented at the conference that is a reflection on the coatings industry and profession.
In “Too Deep or Too Shallow – Can Surface Profiles be Changed by Additional Blast Cleaning?” Corbett will discuss the results of a research initiative that looked at several aspects of the abrasive blasting process and their effect on surface profile, an attribute that anchors the coating system to a steel surface.
Selecting the wrong abrasive size can lead to a surface profile that’s not ideal. Does a follow-up blasting with a more appropriate abrasive effectively change the surface profile? Corbett will explain what new research shows regarding attempts to increase or decrease surface profile.
Program Features
A number of other sessions throughout the four-day technical program are considered conference highlights.
As part of Session 1: Protecting Ships and Marine Structures, Arcino Quiero Jr., Newport News Shipbuilding, will present “National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) Surface Preparation and Coatings (SP&C) Panel 2017 Update” from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. on Monday (Jan. 30). This presentation is an overview of the NSRP Surface Preparation and Coating (SP&C) Panel’s mission to reduce the cost of construction, maintenance and repairs of U.S. Navy ships. It will review the Panel’s efforts and a look at some of its implementable works.
Also on Monday, during Session 4: Oil & Gas, North Dakota State University’s Stuart Croll will deliver “Changes in Appearance and Corrosion Protection of Polyurethane Pipeline Coatings During Weathering Exposure” from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. Croll will discuss changes in gloss and color of aromatic polyurethane protective coatings for steel pipelines tested over six months of accelerated weathering, the changes in corrosion barrier properties of the coatings in the same exposure, and whether corrosion protection by a coating is correlated with changes in its appearance.
On Tuesday (Jan. 31), KTA-Tator’s Chrissy Stewart, PCS, and Cynthia O’Malley, PCS, will present a “CSI: Coating System Investigations” workshop from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. When a coating system fails, it is important to determine what went wrong to avoid future incidents and to remediate the situation—not unlike solving a crime. This presentation will follow a directed approach to determine what went wrong and who is ultimately at fault, with many opportunities for audience participation.
Hot Topics in the Marine World
Several sessions on Tuesday’s roster focus on marine applications.
From 3:00 to 3:30 p.m., John Wegand of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory will host “Status of High Temperature Resistant Thermal Spray Nonskid Coatings within the U.S. Navy.” The U.S. Navy has determined that thermal spray coatings can be used as an alternative to traditional epoxy-based nonskid coatings under high-temperature applications to extend service life. Wegand will outline benefits of the thermal spray nonskid system and discuss NRL’s current programs to optimize this technology.
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Session themes include Protecting Ships and Marine Structures; Hot-Dip Galvanizing; Waterborne Protective Coatings, Project Planning; Oil & Gas; Wastewater Coating Challenges and Solutions; Hot Topics in the Marine World; Defending Against Corrosion in the Military; Bridge Painting and Protection; Concrete Protection Solutions; Surface Preparation; and Formulating Coatings. |
In “Cathodic Disbondment in Modern Marine Systems,” from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m., Edward Lemieux, also of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, will review the basic principles of cathodic disbondment and typical test procedures with an emphasis on marine applications. Advanced methods, assessment methodologies and unique examples of cathodic disbondment in modern, multi-component and thick polymers will be presented.
Damien Ranero, NSWCCD-SSES will present “Measuring Surface Profile of a Waterjetted Surface” in the 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. slot. Waterjet cleaning does not establish, but may reveal, an existing surface profile on a metallic substrate. Ranero will discuss alternative surface preparation methods to create the required surface profile if the existing surface profile is not acceptable for subsequent coating application.
In “Measuring Surface Profile on Pitted Steel,” from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m., Rampart LLC’s Robert Kogler and Laura Erickson will discuss the issue of measuring surface profile on corroded and pitted areas of steel based on results from controlled abrasive blasting research. They will also address the limitations of conventional quality assurance methods in these situations and propose techniques for surface assessment under such less-than-ideal conditions.
Military Showcase
Tuesday’s schedule includes a morning session focused on Defending Against Corrosion in the Military, Part 1.
Daniel J. Dunmire of Department of Defense Corrosion Policy and Oversight Directorate presents “Application of STEM Technology to Corrosion Engineering” between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. The DoD Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office (CPO) is engaged in applying STEM technology to resolve difficult corrosion problems. This presentation will show how STEM is taught and applied to different population segments and how it can be used to solve problems in the coatings industry.
Next up, the U.S. Air Force’s Jeffrey Nusser hosts “Data-Driven Decisions for Corrosion Prevention and Control in the U.S. Air Force” from 11:30 a.m. to noon. He will review past, present and desirable future capabilities to collect, analyze and report on corrosion maintenance data with the intent to facilitate data-driven corrosion management decisions.
In the noon to 12:30 p.m. slot, with “Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) — How the U.S. Marine Corps Paints Their Tactical Equipment,” Andrew Sheetz, NSWCCD-SSES, will review some of the latest revisions to the CARC specifications that have been made over the past two years and provide insight into how the U.S.M.C. is implementing the use of these products with an emphasis on their repair activities.
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The program also includes several workshops, mini sessions and panel discussions, including the popular “Agree to Disagree” program, which focuses on the causes of coating failures. |
“The Effectiveness of Energy Efficient Coatings for Military Use,” by Dr. Rebekah Wilson and Brooke Divan, M.Sc., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, fills the 11:30 a.m. to noon slot in the Defending Against Corrosion in the Military, Part II session held Wednesday (Feb. 1). Wilson and Divan will explain the different ways that the U.S. Army Corps Paint Technology Center tests new coating technology, and also discuss test performance results of energy efficient coatings.
And That’s Not All
A mini session titled “Hubble Bubble Rising: A New Beginning, The Better Way,” gets things underway between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 1). Seven years ago, the presenters—Carl Reed, CCC&L Inc.; and Michael O’Donoghue, Ph.D.; and Vijay Datta, MS, International Paint LLC—questioned much of the conventional wisdom surrounding coating testing, how results are interpreted and what it means to the coatings industry. This sequel to that presentation will delve further into the examination, providing an improved pathway to choosing coatings systems for specific end use applications.
The 10:00 a.m. to noon time slot boasts a popular panel discussion format. “Exploring Differing Views on Causes of Coating Failures” will be moderated by Dwight Weldon, PCS, Weldon Laboratories Inc. Panelists Charles Harvilicz, PCS, Newport News Shipbuilding; Dudley Primeaux, PCS, Primeaux Associates LLC; and Michael O’Brien, MARK 10 Resource Group Inc.—all of whom have experience in analyzing premature coating failures—will review the same photos and laboratory data about a specific case, and then explain their views on what happened and why. Each will represent a different party in the dispute—Owner, General Contractor, Painting Contractor and Paint Manufacturer—as the moderator leads a discussion about the differences in interpretation of the same facts.
In a Green Evolution session on Wednesday, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Richard Keeler of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP, will present “A VOC Free Approach to Surface Tolerant Coatings.” He will discuss the field performance of a new solvent-, VOC- and HAPs-free surface tolerant epoxy technology that contains 226 percent (by weight) of plant material, which is considered “bio-content.” The discussion will include lab adhesion testing and performance data.
For a full list of 2017 Technical Program sessions, visit http://www.sspc2017.com/tech-program/.
Training and Certification
An extensive lineup of SSPC training and certification courses will be offered during SSPC 2017 as well. The following courses are scheduled to run in conjunction with the show, and some extend before or after the scheduled conference dates. Some courses have prerequisites, which can be found at www.sspc.org/training/training-home.
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This year’s program includes a day-long, three-part workshop discussing the attributes of specific coatings or water repellents. “Coating and Water Repellents - Advantages and Disadvantages of Specific Brands” brings the attributes of specific brands into the open so owners, architects, and contractors can make better-informed decisions when making selections for their buildings. |
Featured courses include the following.
Bridge Coatings Inspector Program (BCI Level 2), to be held Jan. 26–31, covers the fundamentals of how to inspect surface preparation and application of protective coatings on bridge steel. The course covers situations that affect inspection in the field (e.g., containment, field safety hazards, changing weather conditions), as well as the skills required to inspect new bridge steel painted in the shop, in the field or maintenance systems applied in the field.
Concrete Coating Inspector Program (CCI Level 2) runs Jan. 26-31. The objective of the CCI program is to thoroughly train individuals in the inspection of surface preparation and the installation of protective coatings on industrial concrete structures and facilities.
Instructors will host the Protective Coatings Inspector Program (PCI Level 2) Jan. 26 through Feb. 1. The objective of this program is to thoroughly train individuals in the proper methods of inspecting surface preparation and installation of industrial and marine protective coatings and lining systems on an array of industrial structures and facilities.
Fundamentals of Protective Coatings (C1), held Jan. 27-31, provides an overview for those who are new to the protective coatings industry. It is also an ideal refresher for reviewing the fundamentals of corrosion and the use of coatings as a protective mechanism against corrosion and deterioration of industrial structures.
The Train-the-Trainer program, running Jan. 28-29, is designed to train owners, supervisors and other representatives of industrial painting contracting companies on the delivery of two levels of the SSPC Applicator Training Program for surface preparation and coating application. It will also provide you and your craft workers with a standardized curriculum for applicator training that you can present at your shop or job site at your own convenience.
Additional courses on tap during the show are:
Registration for all SSPC courses must be done separately from the SSPC 2017 conference registration. To register, email or fax a completed training registration form to Nicole Lourette, SSPC member services fulfillment coordinator, at lourette@sspc.org or 412-281-2331, ext. 2204
All information is current as of press time.
