The World's Standard Test Substrate

What is a Standard Test Substrate? Why Choose Q-PANEL® Substrates from Q-Lab? Manufacturers of coatings, plating, adhesives, sealants, rust inhibitors, and other products need to test the visual, chemical, and physical properties of their products when applied to metals. Q-Lab is Number 1 Worldwide If these coatings tests are to be reliable and reproducible, they must be performed on a substrate that is consistent from test to test. However, ordinary commercial sheet metal displays wide variations in surface properties, which affect the bonding, weatherability, and corrosion resistance of coatings....

What Makes It a Q-PANEL? HIGH-QUALITY METAL Q-SHAPED HOLE It’s our trademark and your assurance of quality. Accept no substitutes. Special pre-cleaning processes allow most Q-PANEL substrates to be used right out of the box. BURR-FREE EDGES A deburring process ensures that all Q-PANEL edges are safe and easy to handle. SHIPPED FROM STOCK Nearly all Q-PANEL substrates are available for shipping within 24 hours from order placement. Q-PANEL substrates are priced low because of high-volume production efficiency. 4 | Q-PANEL Standard Test Panels Q-Lab has special relationships with select, trusted,...

General Purpose Steel Panels Q-PANEL steel substrates are available in a wide variety of alloys and surface finishes, to provide just the right standardized surface for your application. General purpose steel panels represent some of our most popular offerings and are used widely across many industries and test types. See page 10 for additional steel Q-PANEL substrate options. CASE STUDY: STEEL SURFACE QUALITY IS CRITICAL A paint can perform very differently, based solely on the metal to which it is applied. An American automaker demonstrated this effect by cutting up a car body fresh off their...

General Purpose Aluminum Panels CASE STUDY: THE TYPE OF ALUMINUM SUBSTRATE MATTERS The specific alloy of aluminum and its surface characteristics can have a significant effect on the adhesion of paint to its surface due to corrosion. The images below show two different types of aluminum Q-PANEL test substrates, each cleaned and then painted with the same primer and white enamel, following 250 hours of neutral salt spray testing. The metal on the right shows significant delamination of the paint from the scribe, while the metal on the left demonstrates excellent adhesion. Q-PANEL aluminum test...

Specialty Steel Panels Specialty Aluminum Panels Q-Lab produces a wide variety of steel panels to meet a multitude of different testing needs. Special use Q-PANEL substrates are designed to meet a particular test standard, or for a specific application. They will often be more expensive than similarly-sized General Purpose panels. The available sizes and finishes of these are limited and they may not be available directly from stock. General Purpose aluminum Q-PANEL substrates meet most testing needs, but Q-Lab also offers additional panels for more specialized applications. The available sizes...

Printed Logo Embossed Logo Curved and Custom Panels In addition to our standard panels, we can also make types and sizes not shown on our regular Price Lists. These include custom panels as small as 2.54 cm (1 in) circles, to as large as 1.5 × 1.5 m (approximately 5 × 5 ft) automotive-sized panels. Custom panels may also be ordered in a variety of shapes, alloys and finishes. This includes panels that are curved, bent, grit-blasted, welded, embossed, perforated, pre-painted in grey or white with a variety of patterns, and other options. Custom Curved Panel Round/Disc Custom Panels Brass Custom...

Corrosion (Mass Loss) Coupons Corrosion test coupons ensure repeatability and reproducibility when performing laboratory corrosion testing. They help a user independently monitor the test conditions in the chamber, by measuring the mass loss of the steel coupons as the test progresses. Automotive Refinish and Styling Panels The Q-PANEL Automotive Refinish Training System (ARTS) is a low-cost platform used by automotive refinish centers to train technicians on proper painting techniques. The system comprises a portable mounting cart and set of lightweight, simulated automobile hood and fender...

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