Coating & Corrosion
Testing Services
At GPI Laboratories, we’ve been testing coatings, substrates, and protective systems over five decades.
The demands are higher, the standards are tougher, and the need for reliable, independent testing has never been greater. We provide that assurance every day — for manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, and government agencies across the world.
Performance Testing of Coatings
From the first gallon of paint on a bridge girder to the powder coating on a consumer appliance, coatings live or die by how they perform in service. We run the industry’s core performance tests to ASTM and ISO standards, giving engineers and purchasing managers the data they need.
Adhesion — ASTM D4541 (pull-off), ASTM D3359 (tape), ASTM D6677 (knife)
Abrasion Resistance — ASTM D4060 (Taber), ASTM D968 (falling sand)
Impact Resistance— ASTM D2794
Hardness — ASTM D3363 (pencil), ASTM D2240 (durometer)
Color & Gloss — ASTM D2244 (CIE color), ASTM D523 (20°, 60°, 85°)
Scrub / Washability —ASTM D2486
Chemical Resistance — ASTM D1308, immersion methods
Specialty Automotive Test — SAE J400 Gravelometer (chip resistance)
Specialty Structural Test — Slip coefficient testing for bolted structural connections
Batch Confirmation & Quality Control
Every batch matters. When a drum of coating is worth thousands of dollars in a supply chain, buyers want proof that it meets spec. We provide that assurance through routine, repeatable QC testing. These are the tests that keep production lines moving and contracts on track.
Viscosity — ASTM D2196 (Brookfield), ASTM D4212 (Dip Cup), ASTM D562 (Stormer, Krebs)
VOC Content — ASTM D3960, EPA Method 24
Solids by Weight / Volume — ASTM D2369, ASTM D1475
Pot Life — ASTM D1338, AASHTO R-31
Flash Point — ASTM D93 (Pensky Martin Closed Cup)
Heavy Metals / Lead Content — ASTM D3335, ASTM D3718, EPA 6010D
Fineness of Grind — ASTM D1210
Substrates & Panel Sales
Before coatings can be tested, panels have to be prepared. Many of our customers don’t want the hassle of blasting, cleaning, and prepping substrates in-house. We provide ready-to-use, custom fabricated panels:
Steel, aluminum, and other substrates
Prepared to SSPC, NACE, AMPP and ISO cleanliness grades
Available blasted, primed, or coated to spec
Custom sizes available for OEM qualification work
Weldments, weld beads, bolts and holes
Accelerated Weathering & Corrosion Testing
When it comes to corrosion, time is the true enemy — and accelerated testing is the only way to see the future in the lab. We operate humidity, salt spray, and cyclic weathering chambers built to industry and OEM standards by Auto Technology and other industry leaders:
Salt Fog — ASTM B117, ISO 9227
Modified Salt Fog — ASTM G85
UV & Xenon Exposure — ASTM G154, ISO 16474
Cyclic Weathering — ASTM D5894, ISO 12944
Condensation / Humidity — ASTM D4585, ASTM D2247, ISO 6270-2
Cathodic Disbondment — ASTM G8, ASTM G42, ASTM G95
These tests are the backbone of ISO 12944 qualification, and they’re written directly into specs for automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure coatings.
Failure Analysis
When coatings fail in service — whether it’s a bridge, a water tank, or an automotive component — the costs are high and the questions urgent. We provide clear, defensible answers through:
Microscopy and surface analysis
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR, ASTM E1252 — organic compound identification) and gas chromatography
Service-environment simulations
Coating and resin identification
Why GPI
From the first corrosion tests inside the Michigan DOT research lab to today’s global work with manufacturers and governments, one principle has never changed: coatings are only as strong as the tests that prove them.
We help governments protect their infrastructure and manufacturers safeguard their products. Whether it’s a highway bridge designed for millions of crossings, a refinery coating system meant to resist chemicals, or a supplier preparing parts for international shipment, our role is the same: to prove durability before the real world has the chance to expose weakness.
At the end of the day, we protect you, your reputation, and your bottom line with unmatched quality, flexibility, and expertise.
