CORROSION TESTING

Salt Spray (Corrosion) Testing




Salt Spray Testing – What is it?

Salt Spray Testing, also known as corrosion testing, is a lab testing method that is used to determine if metal parts of the product will rust and/or corrode when exposed to water and inclement weather. This test is generally included in the lab testing protocol of any product which has exposed metal parts.


Why should I care about it?

If the products you are importing from China include exposed metal surfaces, no matter what the product is, you should definitely be testing for salt spray exposure as part of your regular lab testing. One reason for this is that Chinese factories are notorious for substituting inferior quality metals and electroplated parts for the ones that they used in your approval sample. In-line testing of corrosion resistance can therefore easily protect you from a product nightmare, such as parts that rust or corrode with just a tiny exposure to rain or moisture…

What kind of products is it applicable to?

Generally, this type of testing is applicable to any product with an exposed metal surface. It’s especially applicable to products that are meant to be used outdoors and will likely be exposed to the elements. For items that may not be used outdoors, it is still a good test to perform to determine the quality level of the metal that the factory is using, and how likely the product is to corrode should it accidently come in contact with water, etc. Some items on which you should definitely perform this test are: keychains, bicycle parts and outdoor furniture. Some items for which this test may be applied if you are looking for higher quality products include: electronic items, bag accessories and hardware (zippers), and indoor use toys.

What standards are available for salt spray testing?

The most common standard for salt spray testing of consumer products is ASTM B117. This standard dictates the item to be exposed to a moist environment which is composed of 5% sodium chloride (salt), for a period of 24 hours, and then given a grade of 1 to 10. See the below scale for grading the results of salt spray testing based on ASTM B117. The % of salt that is used in this testing is often modified depending on the likelihood that the item will be exposed to the elements. For example, when testing a keychain or other simple consumer item, the % may be modified to 1-2% salt. Another common standard for this testing is ISO 9227.