Solving Coating Problems

The Coatings group has worked with a range of substrates, application methods, and coatings. Group members have diverse industrial and the military backgrounds, which provide them with experience that extends beyond laboratory testing to problem solving in the field.

In the lab and in the real world, the group’s master painters know what to do and how to do it.  Specific issues they have resolved include paint removal (chemical and mechanical), metal conversion coating (chrome and non-chrome), and the effects environmental conditions have on successful coating application.  They have worked with a variety of production spray guns plus a number of experimental prototypes. Industrial experience includes application projects for  aerospace, automotive, chemical, and  finished product industries.

Professionals in the coating group have solved formulation problems for architectural, coil, electrostatic powder, industrial, paper, and wood coatings. Other members have worked on the manufacture of pigments and resins, as well as the application of ceramic and automobile coatings. The group understands the coating science needed to identify possible causes of a problem, and has the practical knowledge and facilities to test the validity of hypotheses. This includes factors ranging from the influence of raw materials through the choice of dispersion methods and storage conditions. 

The group’s ability to solve coating problems is complemented by materials analysis and synthesis capabilities located on the University of Dayton campus (see for example the Materials Physics laboratory).  

Experienced group members are available to visit facilities to analyze coating problems. They can frequently diagnose problems on site, determining if a failure or substandard performance is due to improper surface preparation, poor application or processing technique, or use of an inappropriate coating. A NACE-certified inspector can provide on-site assessment and process-line troubleshooting for customers.

To get help in solving your coating problems, please contact Bill Culhane.

UDRI operates 15 Xenon Arc instruments and 6 UV exposure chambers, giving us more experience in conducting weathering tests and interpreting data.	In addition to paint application and performance testing, the coatings group also studies paint removal methods.  We use our blasting equipment to quantify which media is most effective in removing coatings of interest to our customers.