The scratch tester is used to check the bo
nding strength between coating and substrate according to DIN EN ISO 20502 and ASTM C1624. Pull the diamond pen under test force through the layer system to be tested. The resulting scratches were e
valuated under a microscope. Various layer damages, such as crack defects or peeling, may occur.
When testing in production, it is often sufficient to test at a constant test force, where layer damage may not occur. This allows an immediate OK/ no decision to be made. This greatly reduces the amount of work and requirements involved in assessing scratches. Use different test forces depending on the layer system.