Glossary

A - Z list of keywords and terms from the coatings industry.

F

Ferrous

Containing Iron.

Film

The dried coating, which appears to be flat and two dimensional, but whose appearance and properties differ between the surface, the body of the film and the interface with the substrate. If the film is not dried, it is generally called a 'wet' film.

Film Thickness Gauge

An instrument for measuring the dry (DFT) or wet (WFT) film thickness.

Filtering

The process of removing solid and semi-solid impurities from a liquid coating by use of filters. One of the important jobs of a paint maker is to prevent the impurities getting there in the first place.

Fire Retardant Coating

Coating which will delay the substrate from burning.

Flame Spread

BS476 Part 7. Standard that relates the distance a flame will spread over a surface.

Flammability

The ability to catch fire and burn.

Flash Off

Time duration for the volatile content of a coating to evaporate.

Flash Point

The minimum temperature whic h the vapour of a flammable product will ignite, if a flame or spark is present.

Flatting Down

Rubbing of a substrate / coating with an abrasive.

Flexibility

Most substrates move - paper and plastics demand that inks be particularly flexible - but even wood, steel and concrete move with temperature changes or when the surface is knocked. Brittle coatings which fly off at times like this would be useless. Some resins are naturally more flexible than others and may be used in blends to give the coating flexibility. Additives called plasticisers are also often used. Care, however, is need to balance out the amount of flexibility in the formulation with other properties of the coating such as hardness and ease of cleaning.

Flexographic

Flexo printing is a form of relief printing which uses a flexible plate. Firstly ink is transferred from the ink bath to the printing plate via the anilox roller. The substrate, which is usually plastic film or carton board for the printing industry, is fed from a reel through the machine in a continuous web.

Flocculation

Non uniform disperison of pigments resulting in agglomerates.

Flooding

Effect when pigment particles float to the surface, causing a different colour to the original wet state.

Flow

Ability of a coating to spread.

Flow Cup

Cup designed to measure a coating's viscosity as it flows through an orifice.

Force Drying

Increased drying by raising the temperature above ambient.

Full Coat

A coating applied at maximum film thickness without sags and runs.

Furniture

The furniture market is made up users who coat both wooden and metal furniture using clear or pigmented coatings. Coatings may be applied by roller, spray or curtain, and are cured by air drying, heat or UV.

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