Appendix A: Comparison of SSPC and ISO Surface Preparation Standards for Power- and Hand-Tool Cleaned Steel

TABLE 4A
COMPARISON OF SSPC AND ISO SURFACE PREPARATION STANDARDS
FOR POWER- AND HAND-TOOL CLEANED STEEL

Surface Preparation
Standard Initial Condition of Steel Reference Photographs

Rust
SSPC ISO Condition Description SSPC-VIS 31 ISO 8501-12
A intact mill scale A SP 11 *
B partially rusted mill scale B SP 11 *
SP 11 C 100% rusted, no pits C SP 11 *
Power Tool D rusted and pitted D SP 11 *
Cleaning to Bare E paint mostly intact E SP 11, E SP 11/R *
Metal
F zinc-rich paint F SP 11, F SP 11/R *
deteriorated paint over mill
G G SP 11 *
scale
A intact mill scale * *
B partially rusted mill scale B SP 15 *
SP 15 C 100% rusted, no pits C SP 15 *
Commercial D rusted and pitted D SP 15 *
Grade Power E paint mostly intact E SP 15 *
Tool Cleaning
F zinc-rich paint F SP 15 *
deteriorated paint over mill
G G SP 15 *
scale
A intact mill scale A SP 3/PWB, A SP 3/SD *
B partially rusted mill scale B SP 3/PWB, B SP 3/SD B St 3
C 100% rusted, no pits C SP 3/PWB, C SP 3/SD C St 3
SP 3
D rusted and pitted D SP 3/PWB, D SP 3/SD D St 3
Power Tool St 3
Cleaning E paint mostly intact E SP 3/PWB, E SP 3/SD *
F zinc-rich paint F SP 3/PWB, F SP 3/SD *
deteriorated paint over mill
G G SP 3/PWB, G SP 3/SD *
scale
A intact mill scale A SP 2 *
B partially rusted mill scale B SP 2 B St 2
C 100% rusted, no pits C SP 2 C St 2
SP 2
Hand Tool D rusted and pitted D SP 2 D St 2
St 2
Cleaning E paint mostly intact E SP 2 *
F zinc-rich paint F SP 2 *
deteriorated paint over mill
G G SP 2 *
scale

* = no photograph
1
SSPC VIS 3 contains photographs for SP 11, SP 15, SP 3, and SP 2.
2
The United Kingdom Standard BS 7079 Part A1 is equivalent to ISO 8501-1 and depicts the degrees of cleanliness of
unpainted steel. BS 7079 Part A2 is equivalent to ISO 8501-2 and depicts the same degrees of cleanliness of previously
painted steel.

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 Appendix A: Comparison of SSPC and ISO Surface Preparation Standards for Blast Cleaned Steel

TABLE 4B
COMPARISON OF SSPC AND ISO SURFACE PREPARATION STANDARDS
FOR BLAST CLEANED STEEL

Surface Preparation
Standard Initial Condition of Steel Reference Photographs
Rust
SSPC/NACE ISO1 Condition Description SSPC-VIS 12/SSPC-VIS 5 ISO 8501-1
A SP 5, A SP 5-N1, A SP 5-N2,
A SP 5-N3
A intact mill scale A Sa 34
A SP 5-M1,
A SP 5-M2,A SP 5-M33
SP 5/NACE No. 1 B partially rusted mill scale B SP-5 B Sa 34
White Metal Blast Sa 3 C 100% rusted, no pits C SP-5 C Sa 34
Cleaning D rusted and pitted D SP-5 D Sa 3
G1 SP 5, G2 SP 5, G3 SP 5,
deteriorated paint over mill G1 SP 5 P, G1 SP 5 H, G1 SP 5 L,
G *
scale G1 SP 5 D, G3 SP 5 P, G3 SP 5 H,
G3 SP 5 L, G3 SP 5 D
A intact mill scale A SP 10 A Sa 2 1/2
B partially rusted mill scale B SP-10 B Sa 2 1/2
SP 10/NACE No. 2
Sa 2 C 100% rusted, no pits C SP-10, C WAB-105 C Sa 2 1/2
Near-White Blast
1/2
Cleaning D rusted and pitted D SP-10, D WAB-10 D Sa 2 1/2
deteriorated paint over mill
G G1 SP 10, G2 SP 10, G3 SP 10 *
scale
A intact mill scale * *
B partially rusted mill scale B SP-6 B Sa 2
SP 6/NACE No. 3
C 100% rusted, no pits C SP-6, C WAB-6 C Sa 2
Commercial Blast Sa 2
Cleaning D rusted and pitted D SP-6, D WAB-6 D Sa 2
deteriorated paint over mill
G G1 SP 6, G2 SP 6, G3 SP 6 *
scale
A intact mill scale * *
B partially rusted mill scale * *
SP 14/NACE No. 8
C 100% rusted, no pits * *
Industrial Blast
Cleaning D rusted and pitted * *
deteriorated paint over mill
G G1 SP 14, G2 SP 14, G3 SP 14 *
scale
A intact mill scale * *
B partially rusted mill scale B SP-7 B Sa 1
SP 7/NACE No. 4
C 100% rusted, no pits C SP-7 C Sa 1
Brush-Off Blast Sa 1
Cleaning D rusted and pitted D SP-7 D Sa 1
deteriorated paint over mill
G G1 SP 7, G2 SP 7, G3 SP 7 *
scale
* no photograph
1
ISO standards Sa 3, Sa 2 1/2, Sa 2, Sa 1, St 2 and St 3 approximate the corresponding SSPC standards.
2
SSPC-VIS 1 contains photographs for SP 5, SP 6, SP 7, SP 10, and SP 14.
3
Alternate non-metallic abrasives: A SP 5-N1, A SP 5-N2, A SP 5-N3
Alternate metallic abrasives: A SP 5-M1, A SP 5-M2, A SP 5-M3
4
ISO 8501-1 photographs (1978 through 1989 printing) may not adequately illustrate the corresponding SSPC surface preparation
ISO photograph illustrating B Sa 2 shows dark areas that could be interpreted as mill scale and, therefore, represents SSPC-SP 14
and does not represent SSPC-SP 6.
ISO photographs illustrating A Sa 3, B Sa 3 and C Sa 3 do not adequately illustrate the surface texture of typically blast cleaned steel.
The United Kingdom Standard BS 7079 Part A1 is equivalent to ISO 8501-1 and depicts the degrees of cleanliness of unpainted steel.
BS 7079 Part A2 is equivalent to ISO 8501-2 and depicts the same degrees of cleanliness of previously painted steel.
5
SSPC-VIS 5 photographs of wet abrasive blast cleaning are indicated by WAB.

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