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NDT thickness of Zn coating

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Hercules28

Materials
Joined
Nov 9, 2010
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169
Location
US
Dear all,

How can I determine thickness of elctroZn plating on iron substrate without cutting the piece?

Alcometer is out of the question I guess since Zn is conductive.
Xray? anything else?

Thansk,

Herc.
 
Do you mean Elcometer? They have suitable products.
 
Magnetic thickness gage is the easiest and probably most common method. Elcometer (not Alcometer) is one manufacturer of magnetic gages, and they work perfectly well over zinc - since zinc is nonmagnetic. DeFelsco is another major manufacturer of these gages, and there are others.

Second common method is using a weight difference - weigh the item, strip off the Zn with inhibited HCl, reweigh and calculate using surface area and density of Zn. More commonly used for small or irregular items which are difficult to measure with a magnetic thickness gage.
 
Doesn't the plating specification define how to do it?

Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer


All answers are personal opinions only and are in no way connected with any employer.
 
Thanks all, Elcometer is the weapon of choice!
 
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