ISO 1518 Paints and Varnishes - Determination of Scratch Resistance - Fixed Loading Method

EUROLAB laboratory provides testing and compliance services within the scope of ISO 1518 standard. The ISO 1518 standard, developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), specifies a test method for determining the scratch resistance of a single coating or multi-coat paint, varnish or related product under certain conditions with a scratch pen loaded with a specific load.

Pen penetration is into the substrate except in the case of a multi-layer system; in this case, the stylus can penetrate either the substrate or an intermediate coating.

The method indicated can be performed as a "pass/fail" test by testing with a single specified load applied to the pen to assess compliance with a particular specification, or as an evaluation test by applying increasing loads to the stylus to determine the minimum load penetrated by the coating.

Neither this document nor ISO 1518‑2 specify a method using a curved stylus as specified in ISO 12137. The choice between the three methods will depend on the particular practical problem.

A scratch pen loaded with a given load is drawn on a coating at a constant speed. The following test parameters are specified:

• Geometry of the pen tip,
• The range in which the test load can be found and the increments in which it can be increased,
• The procedure for lowering the pen to the coating,
• The speed of movement of the pen and the minimum scratch length.

The scratch is examined to determine whether the coating is penetrated to the extent specified for a single specified test load (“pass/fail” test), or to determine the minimum test load required for penetration.

Among the services provided by our organization within the framework of material testing services, there are also ISO 1518 standard tests. Do not hesitate to contact our laboratory EUROLAB for your testing and certification requests.