Salt Spray testing. AASS & NSS

What is AASS testing?

Acetic acid salt spray testing is an accelerated corrosion test designed to simulate aggressive environments such as marine, industrial, or urban atmospheres. In order to mimic long-term exposure to corrosive conditions the metal is placed in a chamber, under controlled temperature, and subjected to a continuous spray of a fine mist of acetic acid salt solution (typically at a pH of ~3.1–3.3). The metal may stay in the chamber for any length of time, a standard test being 1000 hours. 

This type of testing is ideal for evaluating:

• Coating durability on different base metals
• Coating performance on complex geometries like perforated or folded parts
• Compliance with customer or industry-specific corrosion resistance standards

We commonly conduct tests in accordance with BS EN ISO 9227, which is the UK’s recognised standard for neutral, acetic acid, and copper-accelerated salt spray testing.

What is NSS testing ?

We use neutral salt spray (NSS) testing, in accordance with (STANDARD) to evaluate the lebel of corrosion resistance of powder coatings on mild and galvanized steel. The test simulates corrosive conditions to which the coated mental may be exposed, such as industrial, marine or urban environments, by exposing test samples to a controlled, neutral pH saline environment, typically a 5% sodium chloride solution, within a sealed chamber.

A service tailored to you

Whether you're:

• Looking to validate the performance of a finish to meet your client’s specification,
• Testing coatings on a range of substrates,
• Or investigating how design elements such as perforations may impact corrosion resistance

…… we can help and at a price generally lower than commercial testing centres. 

Documentation and photographs

We carry out the entire process in-house using our own dedicated and calibrated test chamber. Upon completion, we provide clear, documented results, photographs and a written report, ideal for quality assurance records, technical reporting, or compliance submissions.

Certified excellence – Qualicoat ‘Seaside’ approval

Powdertech is also proud to be certified to the Qualicoat ‘Seaside’ standard—the highest level of Qualicoat approval for corrosion resistance, demonstrating our commitment to the highest performance standards in protective coatings.

Fast, Reliable and Flexible

The service can be tailored based on the number of samples, test duration, and reporting requirements, and the fee charged will reflect the amount of work undertaken. Our team will work closely with you to ensure the test setup reflects your use case as accurately as possible.

If you need confidence in your coating’s performance under aggressive environmental conditions, talk to us about acetic acid salt spray testing today. 

Find out more about salt spray testing in our Resources section - Salt Spray Testing 

Call us on +44 1536 400890 or fill out the form below.