Surface Preparation and Inspection
18%of exam
Blast LevelsWJ LevelsISO GradesConcrete PrepPrep Picker
Coating Inspection
16%of exam
Inspection Process
15%of exam
RolesITPHold PointsEscalation
Coatings and Coating Application
13%of exam
Specialty SystemsCure TypesWFT/DFT MathApplication Methods
Documentation
10%of exam
Galvanizing StandardsReportsNCRsDaily Logs
Corrosion
9%of exam
Environmental Conditions and Inspection
7%of exam
Dew Point RuleRH ThresholdInstrumentsFlash Rust
Safety
4%of exam
Stop-Work HazardsIntrinsically SafeConfined SpacePPE
Communications and Teamwork
4%of exam
Owner vs ContractorLevel 3 EscalationConflict ResolutionStakeholder Communication
Ethics
4%of exam
Pressure PointsReporting DutyConflicts of InterestInspector Limits
Quick Facts
- Exam
- CIP Level 2
- Body
- AMPP
- Items
- 120 (100 scored)
- Time
- 3 hrs seat time
- Practical
- 8 stations, in-person
- Pass score
- Not published
- Prereq
- CIP-1 + 2 yrs exp
- Validity
- 3 years
Blast Level Order
SP7 < SP6 < SP10 < SP5 cleanliness
SP7: brush-off, lightest levelSP6: commercial, 33% stainSP10: near-white, 5% stainSP5: white metal, zero stain
SP6 vs SP10
SP6 / NACE No.3
- Commercial blast
- Sa 2 equivalent
- ≤33% staining allowed
SP10 / NACE No.2
- Near-white blast
- Sa 2½ equivalent
- ≤5% staining allowed
Moderate vs high-performance service
Surface Prep Standard Picker
- Immersion, TSA, or IOZ service→SP5 / NACE No.1(Sa 3, zero stain)
- Moderate atmospheric maintenance coating→SP10 / NACE No.2(Sa 2½, ≤5% stain)
- General industrial maintenance work→SP6 / NACE No.3(Sa 2, ≤33% stain)
- Shop primer or temp protection→SP7 / NACE No.4(Sa 1, lightest blast)
- Blasting is impractical onsite→SP11 power tool(Bare metal, min profile)
- Galvanized or non-ferrous metal→SP16 brush-off blast(Keep substrate layer intact)
- Need soluble-salt removal→Waterjetting WJ series(No new profile created)
- Confined space or elevated access→Remote/portable prep equipment(Keeps crew out of hazard)
SSPC/NACE Blast Levels
- SP1
- Solvent cleaning, removes oil/grease
- SP2
- Hand tool cleaning, loose material
- SP3
- Power tool cleaning, loose material
- SP5 / NACE No.1
- White metal blast, zero stainingSa 3
- SP6 / NACE No.3
- Commercial blast, ≤33% stainingSa 2
- SP7 / NACE No.4
- Brush-off blast, lightest levelSa 1
- SP10 / NACE No.2
- Near-white blast, ≤5% stainingSa 2½
- SP11
- Power tool cleaning to bare metal
WJ Cleanliness Ladder
WJ-1 cleanest, WJ-4 lightest cleaning level
WJ-1: bare substrateWJ-2: 95% clean matteWJ-3: two-thirds cleanWJ-4: light, adherent stays
Waterjetting WJ Levels
- WJ-1
- Clean to bare substrate≈SP5
- WJ-2
- Very thorough, ≥95% residue-free≈SP10
- WJ-3
- Thorough, ≥2/3 residue-free≈SP6
- WJ-4
- Light cleaning, adherent matter stays≈SP7
ISO 8501-1 Grades
- Sa 1
- Light blast cleaning
- Sa 2
- Thorough blast cleaning
- Sa 2½
- Very thorough blast, slight stains
- Sa 3
- Blast to visually clean steel
- St 2
- Thorough hand tool cleaning
- St 3
- Very thorough power tool cleaning
Abrasive & Concrete Prep
- SSPC-AB 1
- Mineral and slag abrasive quality
- SSPC-AB 2
- Recycled ferrous abrasive work mix
- SSPC-AB 3
- New unused ferrous metallic abrasive
- SP16
- Brush-off blast, galvanized/non-ferrous metals
- ASTM D4259
- Concrete abrasion prep, removes laitance
- ICRI 310.2R
- Concrete profile scale, CSP 1-9
Holiday Voltage Crossover
Under 20 mils wet, over dry-spark
Under 20 mil: low voltageOver 20 mil: high voltageFormula: V equals M root DFT
Verification vs Calibration
Verification
- Field check
- Every shift
- No adjustment made
Calibration
- Lab or tech performed
- Periodic interval
- Adjusts the instrument
Confirm vs correct
Thickness & Adhesion Test Picker
- DFT on steel substrate→Magnetic/eddy-current gauge(Per SSPC-PA 2)
- DFT on concrete, FRP, wood→Ultrasonic gauge(ASTM D6132)
- Need pass/fail adhesion class→D3359 tape test(Qualitative rating only)
- Need numeric adhesion value→D4541 pull-off(Force/area plus failure mode)
- Cure check on rigid FRP→Barcol hardness (D2583)(Shore D saturates near 100)
- Cure check on flexible lining→Shore D durometer (D2240)(Stays sensitive to cure)
- Coating under 20 mils DFT→Low-voltage wet sponge(Holiday test method)
- Coating over 20 mils DFT→High-voltage spark tester(V = M√DFT)
Profile & DFT Methods
- D4417 Method A
- Visual comparator, profile range
- D4417 Method B
- Depth micrometer, max reading recorded
- D4417 Method C
- Replica tape, peak-to-valley depth
- D6132
- Ultrasonic DFT, non-metallic substrates
- Magnetic/eddy-current gauge
- DFT on steel substrates
Failure Mode Clues
Salts blister, thick film mud-cracks, humidity blushes
Osmotic blister: soluble saltsMud-cracking: over-thick filmAmine blush: humid cure
WFT vs DFT
WFT
- Measured wet
- Before cure
- Predicts final DFT
DFT
- Measured cured
- Spec compliance value
- Pass/fail basis
Wet predicts, dry decides
Adhesion & Hardness Tests
- D4541
- Pull-off adhesion, force plus mode
- D3359
- Tape test, qualitative classification
- D2583
- Barcol hardness, rigid FRP
- D2240
- Shore D hardness, flexible linings
- Tooke gauge
- Cross-section reveals coat thicknesses
Low- vs High-Voltage Holiday
Low voltage
- Wet sponge
- Under 20 mils
- Water completes circuit
High voltage
- Spark/brush probe
- Over 20 mils
- V = M√DFT
Thin film vs thick film
Holiday Detection
- Low voltage
- Wet sponge, under 20 mils
- High voltage
- Spark tester, over 20 mils
- D5162
- Holiday testing, metal substrates
- D4787
- Holiday testing, concrete substrates
- V = M√DFT
- Voltage formula, AMPP SP0188
D3359 vs D4541
D3359 tape test
- Qualitative rating
- Cross-cut classification
- Pass/fail only
D4541 pull-off
- Quantitative force value
- Failure mode noted
- PSI or MPa
Classify vs quantify
Cure & Finish Checks
- D5402
- Solvent rub resistance, cure check
- D523
- Gloss measured at 60 degrees
- Calibration
- Lab adjusts against reference standard
- Verification
- Field check, no adjustment made
Coating Failure Modes
- Osmotic blistering
- Soluble salts draw in moisture
- Cathodic disbondment
- CP current lifts coating edge
- Mud-cracking
- Over-thick film shrinks, cracks
- Alligatoring
- Hard topcoat over soft undercoat
- Amine blush
- Humidity during epoxy cure
- Filiform corrosion
- Thread-like rust under film
NDE Methods
- VT
- Visual testing, needs adequate light
- PT
- Dye penetrant, surface-breaking defects
- MT
- Magnetic particle, ferromagnetic only
- UT
- Ultrasonic, volumetric defects
- RT
- Radiographic, volumetric defects
Escalation & Authority Picker
- Widespread or recurring failure→Escalate to CIP Level 3(Root-cause determination)
- Verbal request conflicts with spec→Written spec still governs(Get change in writing)
- Contractor pressures skipping a test→Hold to spec, report facts(Escalate if pressure continues)
- Spec interpretation is ambiguous→Route to owner or engineer(Not resolved onsite alone)
Inspection Process & Roles
- ITP
- Inspection and test plan, pre-work
- Hold point
- Work stops for required sign-off
- Owner/engineer
- Sets criteria, final disposition call
- Contractor
- Chooses means and methods
- Inspector
- Verifies work meets specification
- De facto standard
- Common practice, no formal body
Convertible vs Non-Convertible Cure
Convertible
- Chemical cure reaction
- Irreversible once cured
- Epoxy, polyurethane
Non-convertible
- Solvent/water evaporation only
- Re-softens in solvent
- Vinyl, chlorinated rubber
React vs evaporate
Specialty Coating Systems
- Thermal spray
- AWS C2.23M / SSPC-CS 23.00
- Thermal spray guide
- AWS C2.18, selection guidance
- Pipeline FBE
- 100% holiday tested at mill
- 3LPE
- Polyethylene jacket, standard temperature service
- 3LPP
- Polypropylene jacket, high-temperature service
- Polyurea
- Plural-component, mixed at spray tip
WFT/DFT Formulas
- WFT formula
- WFT = DFT ÷ %VS
- Thinner correction
- Raises WFT needed for target DFT
- Spreading rate
- m2/L = %VS x10 / DFTum
- Volume solids
- Percent resin/pigment left after cure
Galvanizing & Doc Standards
- ASTM A123
- Original hot-dip galvanized coating spec
- ASTM A780
- Field repair of damaged galvanizing
- NCR
- Non-conformance record, documents deviation
- Daily log
- Records conditions, activities, and results
Corrosion Forms
- Galvanic corrosion
- Dissimilar metals, electrolyte contact
- Pitting corrosion
- Localized, chloride-driven attack
- Crevice corrosion
- Stagnant electrolyte, tight gaps
- SCC
- Stress corrosion cracking, tensile plus environment
- MIC
- Microbiologically influenced corrosion
Cathodic Protection
- ICCP
- Impressed current, rectifier power source
- Galvanic anodes
- Sacrificial zinc, aluminum, or magnesium
- Rectifier
- Converts AC to DC current
- SP0169
- Buried/submerged pipeline CP standard
- Anode selection
- Small/isolated favors galvanic anodes
Cathodic Disbondment Lab Tests
- ASTM G8
- Room-temperature immersion CD test
- ASTM G42
- Elevated-temperature CD test
- ASTM G80
- Specific cathodic disbonding test
- ASTM G95
- Attached-cell CD test method
Dew Point Margin
Five degrees F, three C, above
Applies during prep, coat, cureSSPC-PA 1 states the ruleBelow margin risks moisture
Environmental Rules & Instruments
- Dew point rule
- Surface 5°F (3°C) above dew point
- RH threshold
- Above 60% RH accelerates flash rust
- Psychrometer
- Measures relative humidity
- Surface thermometer
- Contact probe, steel temperature
- D4285
- Blotter test, oil/water in air
Intrinsically Safe Equipment
Verify ratings before confined space entry
Limits electrical, thermal ignition energyCheck before tanks, confined spacesCertified for flammable atmospheres present
Inspector Authority vs Contractor Responsibility
Inspector
- Verifies the work
- Reports facts objectively
- No means/methods say
Contractor
- Chooses means/methods
- Performs the work
- Meets spec requirements
Judge vs performer
Common Traps
Wet sponge ≠ spark tester
Low voltage under 20 mils ≠ High voltage over 20 mils
Calibration ≠ verification
Calibration adjusts the instrument ≠ Verification only checks reading
Visual clean ≠ salt-free
Visual grade misses invisible salts ≠ Salts need a separate test
Tape test ≠ pull-off
Tape gives a class rating ≠ Pull-off gives a force value
Waterjetting ≠ new profile
Waterjetting only cleans the surface ≠ It creates no new profile
Sa 2½ ≠ Sa 3
Sa 2½ allows slight staining ≠ Sa 3 allows zero staining
Verbal request ≠ spec change
Verbal input is context only ≠ Written spec still governs plans
Bulging hose ≠ minor issue
Bulge signals lining/reinforcement failure ≠ Treat as immediate stop-work hazard
Schedule pressure ≠ valid reason
Compression tempts skipping hold points ≠ Spec requirements still fully apply
Last Minute
- 1.Prep 18%, Inspection 16%, Process 15%
- 2.120 items: 100 scored, 20 unscored
- 3.3-hour seat time, no passing score
- 4.SP5/NACE1 = white metal, zero stain
- 5.SP10/NACE2 = near-white, 5% stain max
- 6.SP6/NACE3 = commercial, 33% stain max
- 7.WJ-1 cleanest, WJ-4 lightest waterjet level
- 8.Dew point: 5°F/3°C above surface
- 9.Holiday test: wet sponge under 20mil
- 10.Holiday test: spark tester over 20mil
- 11.D4541 = numeric pull-off force value
- 12.D3359 = qualitative tape classification only
- 13.Calibration adjusts; verification only confirms reading
- 14.Barcol (D2583) rigid FRP; Shore flexible
- 15.Written spec governs over verbal requests
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