AMPP CIP Level 1 cheat sheet

Inspector authority is defined by the contract and specification; the inspector observes, records, and reports nonconformance but does not direct the contractor unless the contract grants that authority.

Barrier coatings protect by isolating the substrate; inhibitive coatings passivate the steel surface; sacrificial coatings protect steel by galvanic action.

Confined-space entry requires atmospheric testing before and during entry: oxygen 19.5–23.5% by volume, flammable gas below 10% LEL, and toxics below exposure limits.

Steel temperature must be at least 3°C (5°F) above dew point before blasting or coating; otherwise condensation can cause adhesion failure.

The four environmental readings recorded at application are relative humidity, air temperature, steel temperature, and dew point.

A hold point requires inspector release before work proceeds; a witness point requires notification, but work may proceed if the inspector is absent under the contract terms.

PPE selection follows the SDS and site hazard assessment; solvent-resistant gloves, eye/face protection, and respiratory protection are common for coating work.

Inspection records include date, time, location, readings, instrument identification, acceptance criteria, and accept/reject decisions.

SSPC-SP 5/NACE No. 1 white metal blast removes all visible oil, grease, dirt, mill scale, rust, coating, oxides, and foreign matter.

SSPC-SP 10/NACE No. 2 near-white blast permits only very light staining on no more than 5% of each unit area; SSPC-SP 6/NACE No. 3 commercial blast permits staining on up to 33%.

ISO 8501-1 visual grades include Sa 3, Sa 2½, Sa 2, and Sa 1 for blast cleaning and St 2 and St 3 for hand and power tool cleaning.

Surface profile is measured by replica tape, comparator, or stylus; a typical angular profile for protective coatings is 1.5–4 mil (38–100 µm), subject to product data.

Soluble salt contamination is measured by Bresle patch and conductivity; chloride limits are often 3–5 µg/cm², but the coating specification governs the acceptance value.

Abrasive must be clean, dry, and free of oil and contaminants; SSPC-AB 1 covers mineral abrasives, SSPC-AB 2 covers slag abrasives, and SSPC-AB 3 covers metallic abrasives.

Oil and grease must be removed by SSPC-SP 1 solvent cleaning before abrasive blasting; otherwise contaminants can be driven into the surface.

Compressed air used for blasting or coating must be free of oil and water; the ASTM D4285 blotter test checks air cleanliness.

Wet film thickness formula: WFT = DFT ÷ volume solids fraction. A 5.0 mil DFT at 65% volume solids requires 7.7 mil WFT.

Volume solids is the fraction of wet coating that remains as dry film after solvent evaporation; it is used to calculate WFT and theoretical coverage.

Theoretical coverage in ft²/gal = 1604 × volume solids fraction ÷ DFT in mils.

Pot life is the maximum usable time after mixing; exceeding pot life causes viscosity increase, poor flow, and reduced adhesion.

Induction time is the required dwell period after mixing before application for some plural-component coatings.

Recoat window is the time after application during which the next coat can be applied without surface preparation; outside it, roughening may be required.

Airless spray application typically uses about 50% overlap, a gun perpendicular to the surface, and a 12–18 in standoff, with the fan pattern adjusted to the coating.

Excessive DFT can trap solvent, cause mud cracking, sagging, or solvent pop; insufficient DFT leaves thin spots and premature corrosion.

Magnetic and electronic DFT gauges measure coating thickness on ferrous substrates; eddy-current gauges measure on nonferrous metals; ultrasonic gauges measure over plastic or wood.

SSPC-PA 2 is the standard practice for dry film thickness measurement; it defines spot measurements, area averages, and minimum and maximum thickness limits.

Replica tape per ASTM D4417 measures surface profile by compressing foam against the blast surface; the tape is read with a spring micrometer.

Low-voltage wet-sponge holiday detection is used for thin-film coatings; high-voltage spark testing is used for thicker films and requires voltage set by film thickness.

Adhesion pull-off testing per ASTM D4541 bonds a dolly to the coating and measures the force required to detach it; results include strength and failure mode.

Cross-cut adhesion testing per ASTM D3359 cuts a lattice through the coating, applies tape, and rates the amount removed on a 0–5 scale.

Documentation includes daily reports, inspection reports, nonconformance reports, calibration records, and material certificates; entries must be legible, dated, and traceable.

Instruments must be calibrated or verified per manufacturer and contract requirements; records include instrument identification, calibration date, reference standard, and readings.