W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA — A new ASTM International standard will be used to substantiate manufacturers’ claims on the inherent dry-fall characteristics of coating materials such as paint. ASTM D7868, Practice for Determining the Dry Fall (Fog) Properties of Protective Coatings, was developed by Subcommittee D01.46 on Industrial Protective Coatings, part of ASTM International Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications.

According to Bill Corbett, Vice President, KTA-Tator Inc., dry-fall coatings have been available for decades and are produced and sold by coating manufacturers throughout the world. Dry-fall coatings are formulated so that overspray particles dry as they move through the air before landing on horizontal surfaces. Particles can then be brushed off, vacuumed or washed from surfaces with no damage.

“The inherent dry fall characteristics of these coating materials is critical in avoiding damage to property adjacent to and below spraying operations,” said Corbett. “However, there was no known standardized testing procedure to substantiate manufacturers’ claims regarding dry-fall properties.”

ASTM D7868 was developed to qualitatively evaluate the dry-fall properties of coatings prior to use on painting projects in which overspray cannot be tolerated. In addition, the new practice will be used to evaluate whether coatings demonstrate the same dry-fall properties when the fallout collects on surfaces having an elevated temperature, such as cars parked in sunlight.

For more information, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation.

The next meeting of ASTM Committee D01 will held January 26-28, 2014 during ASTM’s January Committee Week in Houston.