The damaging potential of film contaminants (oils, greases, fingerprints) is becoming increasingly important in manufacturing processes. The primary focus here is on organic residues. These contaminants often originate from production aids such as oils, greases, corrosion protection agents, cooling lubricants or cleaning agents. Residues of this type very quickly lead to clear defects in the subsequent manufacturing processes. For example, such contaminants prevent complete wetting with a coating layer or significantly reduce the adhesiveness of a contact surface.
The range of measurement techniques known to date extends from simple methods such as gravimetric determination of residues or contact angle measurement for determining surface tension, through IR spectroscopy for characterizing simple organics, to complex methods such as coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This variety of measurement techniques and methods has not facilitated specification and economical testing of filmic cleanliness. With the aim of selecting and introducing a uniform and practicable measurement method, the AdhäSa expert group, headed by the Fraunhofer Institute IPA, has developed the new AGREE® test method.
By participating in this expert group, CleanControlling has the new test method AGREE® at its disposal and can thus perform fast and economically reasonable component tests.
Accreditation process of the new test procedure at CleanControlling
The new testing procedure has been established at CleanControlling in the meantime and was audited by the testing body in October 2022 in the current accreditation process. Formal accreditation is expected shortly, and the test procedure will fall within the scope of accreditation once the accreditation process has been completed.
Detailed information about this new test method for filmic component cleanliness can be found here.
