QUALICOAT SPECIFICATIONS for PAINT, LACQUER AND POWDER COATINGS

SPECIFICATIONS FOR A QUALITY LABEL FOR PAINT, LACQUER AND POWDER COATINGS ON ALUMINIUM FOR ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATIONS

12th Edition-MASTER VERSION
approved by the QUALICOAT Executive Committee on 25.06.2009

Chapter 1
General Information

1. General Information

These Specifications apply to the QUALICOAT quality label, which is a registered trademark. The regulations for use of the quality label are set out in Appendix A1.

The aim of these Specifications is to establish minimum requirements which plant installations, coating materials and finished products must meet.

These Specifications are designed to ensure high-quality coating on products for use in architectural applications, whatever kind of coating is used. Any aftertreatment not stipulated in these Specifications may affect the quality of a coated product and is the responsibility of whoever applies it.

The Specifications for plant installations are the minimum requirements for producing good quality. Other methods may only be used if they have been previously approved by the Executive Committee.

The aluminium or aluminium alloy material must be suitable for the coating processes specified in this document. It must be free from corrosion and must not have any anodic or organic coating (except anodic pre-treatment as described in these specifications). It must also be free from all contaminants, especially silicone lubricants. The edge radii must be as large as possible.

Finishing plants holding the quality label must treat all products intended for architectural applications in accordance with these Specifications and may only use coating materials approved by QUALICOAT for such products. For external architectural applications, other coating materials may be used only at the customer’s written request and only if there are technical reasons for doing so. It is not permitted to use unapproved powders, paints and lacquers for purely commercial reasons.

These Specifications form the basis for granting and renewing the quality label. All requirements in these Specifications must be met before a quality label can be granted. The quality assurance representative in the company holding the label must always have the latest version of the Specifications.

The Specifications may be supplemented or amended with update sheets that set out and incorporate the QUALICOAT’s resolutions until a new edition is issued. These numbered sheets will state the subject of the resolution, the date when QUALICOAT passed the resolution, the effective date and the details of the resolution.

The Specifications and update sheets will be distributed to all coating plants which have been or are about to be granted the quality label and to holders of an approval.

TERMINOLOGY

Licence: Permission to use the quality label.

Approval: Confirmation that a specific manufacturer’s product ( powder coatings, liquid coating or chemical product) meets the requirements of the Specifications.

General licensee (GL): National association holding the Qualicoat general licence for the whole country in question.

Testing laboratories: These are independent quality testing and inspection bodies duly authorised by the general licensee or QUALICOAT.