Surface Preparation [Module #1]

1. Heavy rusted or corrosion-pitted steel is more difficult to clean thoroughly

than new steel? True

2. Millscale, rust & paint are considered adherent if they cannot be removed
by lifting with a dull putty knife? True

3. Common design features that cause problems for effective coating include?
a. Rivets, bolts or other connectors (answer)
b. Continuous welds
c. Rounded edges
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

4. Zinc exposed to the atmosphere develops a passive film? True

5. Trisodium Phosphate is an alkaline cleaner? True

6. If coatings are to be successful with very little surface preparation, they must
be chosen for their surface tolerant characteristics? True

7. Which of the following are common recycling methods for blast abrasives?
a. screen method d. all of the above (answer)
b. air-screen wash e. none of the above
c. cyclone method

8. Caulking materials commonly used in preparation for painting include?

a. Rubber seals d. all of the above
b. Foam inserts e. none of the above
c. Epoxy &/or silicone resins (answer)

9. Inorganic materials are generally easily removed by solvent cleaning? False

10. Blasting pressure may be reduced by?
a. Inadequate air supply
b. Friction losses in the hoses
c. Poor design or fittings in the blast machines
d. All of the above (answer)
e. None of the above

11. Coatings & surface preparation methods are generally chosen by the
contractors? False

12. When blasting, electrically-operated safety valves are faster in operation &
safer in all working environments? False

13. Grounding blasting equipment is not required because any static electricity
charge generated is a very low voltage? False

14. High Pressure Water Cleaning (HPWC) is cleaning performed at what pressure?
a. below 5,000 psi [34 MPa]
b. 5,000 to 10,000 psi [34 to 70 MPa] (answer)
c. 10,000 to 25,000 psi [70 to 170 MPa]
d. over 25,000 psi [170 MPa]

15. Which of the following does not directly affect the efficiency of the blast
cleaning operation?
a. air availability
b. condition of the surface to be cleaned
c. distance of the nozzle from the surface
d. type of compressor used (answer)

16. Blast cleaning can be used to?

a. Produce an anchor profile on the surface being cleaned (answer)
b. Economically remove oil & grease deposits
c. Prepare surfaces without affecting other workers in the area
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

17. If air is saturated with water vapor, the evaporation of solvents is inhibited,
causing problems with coating film formation? True
18. High Pressure Water Cleaning is essential if chalks are to be removed from
an aged coating surface? False
19. Tightly-adherent millscale can easily be removed by acid-etch cleaning? False

20. Depth of surface profile can be evaluated by several methods, including?

a. Comparator & coupons
b. Replica tape
c. Dial gauge depth micrometer
d. All of the above (answer)
e. None of the above

21. Some coatings are more tolerant of poor surface condition than others? True

22. What is the missing number in the following sequence : SP 5, SP ?, SP 6, SP 7:

a. 1 d. 5
b. 3 e. 10 (answer)
c. 2

23. Coatings should generally be applied to a surface within ? hours of completion

of surface preparation operation?
a. 1 hour c. 12 hours
b. 4 hours (answer) d. 24 hours

24. A standard that defines Proper Design Considerations for Tanks & Vessels
to be Lined for Immersion Service is?
a. SSPC-SP 9 c. NACE RP-01-78 (answer)
b. ISO 8503 d. BS 5493

25. Modern coatings do not require a clean & roughened surface if they are to achieve
long-term stability, because they are specifically designed for
application to poor surfaces? False

26. The rust which forms on steel surfaces exposed to either industrial or marine
atmospheres may contain significant quantities of sulfates &
chlorides? True

27. The standard most commonly used to define solvent cleaning is?
a. SSPC-SP 3 c. SSPC-SP 1 (answer)
b. NACE RP-01-88 d. NACE standard # 5

28. In general, better surface preparation leads to better coating life? True
29. Which of the following is not commonly used for power tool cleaning?
a. Chipping hammer [scaling hammer]
b. Needle scaler
c. Piston scaler
d. Sheet sandpaper (answer)

30. Creating surface profile is important because it increases the surface

area? True

31. Dewpoint is defined as the temperature at which condensation occurs? True

32. SSPC-SP 11 defines power tool cleaning to produce a bare metal

surface? True

33. Which of the following is/are safety feature(s) of blasting equipment?

a. Deadman handle (answer) d. All of the above
b. Bronze hose couplings e. None of the above
c. Venturi nozzle

34. Blasting using a wheelabrator is not commonly used?

a. In a stationary set-up, when work can be brought to the equipment
b. For large, flat surfaces such as floors, pits, etc.
c. For lower production cost
d. With unskilled operators (answer)

35. When modern sophisticated coatings are applied for surface protection,
blast cleaning is the most satisfactory & economical process? True

36. Coating performance will be much better (and therefore more economical
in the long-term) if fabrication or design defects are repaired prior to
or during surface preparation? True

37. Hand tool cleaning is commonly specified and used to remove all rust
and millscale? False

38. Shot used for blast cleaning has less cutting effect than grit, and will prolong
the life of blasting equipment & machinery? True

39. Oil-based coatings are most suitable for use on zinc surfaces? False

40. Using a rotary wire brush is likely to polish the surface rather than provide
 a roughened surface? True

41. A well-written coating specification will require a range of surface

profile depth? True

42. Silicosis is a lung disease that may be cause by breathing free silica from
the sand blasting operation? True

43. Cracks & crevices should never be removed by grinding? False

44. Most metallic abrasives, such as iron and steel shot/grit, cannot be
recycled? False

45. Blasting with a wheelabrator machine is often highly automated, and is best
suited to repetitive blasting tasks at a fixed location? True

46. Sponge blasting uses a synthetic sponge to clean the surface by removing
contaminants and can create a surface profile? True

47. Needle scalers never produce a burnished surface finish? False

48. It is OK to paint over tightly-adherent millscale, because it maintains

good adhesion to the base steel? False

49. Even though a blast-cleaned surface matches the appearance of the required
standard, it may contain enough non-visible contamination to be unsuitable
for coating? True

50. Coatings applied over a wet surface will generally not achieve adequate
adhesion to the substrate? True

51. Which of the following is/are common types of slag abrasive?

a. Copper slag d. All of the above (answer)
b. Coal slag e. None of the above
c. Aluminum slag

52. Millscale is cathodic relative to mild steel? True

53. Which of the following power sources is most commonly used for site-base
power tool cleaning?
 a. water pressure c. solar power
b. compressed air (answer) d. manual energy

54. Surface preparation activities prior to application of coatings may include

inspection of surface condition? True

55. Inspection for surface cleanliness should take place?

a. Before any surface preparation activities
b. Between each application of coating in a multi-coat system
c. After surface preparation, before coating begins
d. All of the above (answer)
e. None of the above

56. Surface preparation activities prior to application of coatings do not include

removal of surface deposits such as oil & grease? False