Introduction

Strain gage performance is easily degraded by the effects of moisture, chemical attack, or mechanical damage. As a result, gages require varying degrees of protection according to the severity of the environment in which they must operate. While it is often practical, in laboratory applications, to operate fully encapsulated gages without additional protection, open-faced gages should always be covered with a suitable coating as soon as possible after installation.

The M-Coat compounds described herein have been formulated specifically for use in protecting strain gage installations from destabilizing and damaging environmental conditions. The range of materials offered is adequate for handling the majority of gage protection requirements. In the benign atmosphere of an air-conditioned laboratory, for instance, a single layer of M-Coat A would ordinarily provide sufficient protection against moisture, fingerprints, and other degrading contaminants. When the gage installation must operate in a more severe environment, alternate coatings or combinations of coatings can be employed.

To serve as a preliminary guide for coating selection, the Coating Selection Chart gives recommended coating systems for a variety of typical environments. The effectiveness of these materials and procedures has been experimentally validated on numerous occasions. However, application technique is also an important factor in the performance of any gage protection system. It is therefore good practice, particularly in the case of long-term installations, to verify by test that the system performs as required.
 

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