What is ISO 20566 about?
Vehicles are not just modes of transport; they could function as status symbols. While people take pride in the appearance of their vehicles, the paints and coatings also serve another purpose – that of protecting the vehicle. In such instances, keeping these coatings intact is a priority.
ISO 20566 specifies a test procedure for assessing the scratch resistance of organic paint coatings, in particular paint coatings used in the automotive industry. The test conditions have been designed to be as close as possible to the real conditions in a car wash. If the test parameters are suitably chosen, the method can also be used for testing protective plastics films and plastic components.
Who is ISO 20566 for?
ISO 20566 on the determination of the scratch resistance of a coating system is applicable to:
- Paint Manufacturers
- Automobile Manufacturers
- Car-Detailing Shops
- Quality control personnel
Why should you use ISO 20566?
Car washes are designed to improve the appearance of the vehicle. But given the nature of polyethylene brushes, there is a chance that they could scratch up the paint coating.
ISO 20566 will help you to determine the scratch resistance of a coating after the car has been through a car wash.
The test conditions have been designed to be as close as possible to the real conditions in a car wash. Machine-based washing is simulated in the laboratory environment using a rotating brush and synthetic dirt. ISO 20566 guides you to identify a threshold for the brush age that would cause severe scratches to paint coatings. ISO 20566 helps you to identify if your paint coatings are degrading with each car wash.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN ISO 20566:2021 supersedes BS EN ISO 20566:2013, which is withdrawn. BS EN ISO 20566:2021 includes some technical and editorial changes with respect to BS EN ISO 20566:2013. These include:
- The term control panel has been changed to the reference panel
- The requirement for the temperature of the washing suspension has been deleted
- Verification using a plastics panel has been added to annex A
- The text has been editorially revised and the normative references have been updated.
