The PCE-CT 80-F5N3-ICA surface tester is a professional instrument for non-destructive coating thickness measurement on ferrous and non-ferrous metal substrates. It is designed to check paint, plastic coatings, enamel, chrome, copper, zinc, protective coatings and technical layers applied to steel, iron, aluminium, brass, stainless steel, anodized aluminium and other compatible metallic materials. The measurement does not damage or alter the tested surface, making the instrument suitable for quality control, production checks, incoming and outgoing inspection, workshop testing and technical service activities.

The device uses different measuring principles depending on the base material. On ferrous Fe substrates, such as iron and steel, it uses magnetic induction to measure non-magnetic coatings. On non-ferrous NFe substrates, such as aluminium, copper and brass, it uses the eddy current principle to measure non-conductive coatings. The automatic Fe + NFe base detection mode simplifies operation when different materials or mixed batches of components must be inspected.

The measuring range is Fe= 0 ... 5,000 µm and NFe= 0 ... 3,000 µm. The specified accuracy is ±(2% of the value + 1 µm), while the resolution is 0.1 µm for measurements below 100 µm and 1 µm for measurements above 100 µm. These values make the instrument suitable for checking both thin coatings and higher thicknesses, allowing technicians to verify whether the applied layer complies with production requirements, surface treatment specifications or customer standards.

The external sensor is an important feature because it allows measurements to be taken in areas that are more difficult to access than with a gauge with an integrated probe. This configuration is useful on assembled components, parts with complex geometries, reachable internal surfaces, metal structures, bodywork, frames, tubular elements, bent sheet metal and large workpieces. The V-groove on the probe head helps positioning on curved surfaces and supports more stable contact during measurement.

The measurement is not affected by vibrations, and the wear-resistant spring-mounted sensor helps maintain a more controlled contact pressure on the surface. This is useful for obtaining more repeatable results, especially when the operator has to take many consecutive measurements on several points of the same part or on a series of components. For reliable data, the probe should still be kept stable and perpendicular to the surface, and the measuring points should be clean and free from dirt, oxide, burrs, residues or evident deformation.

Before use, the instrument can be calibrated with multi-point calibration from 1 to 4 points for each group or by zero-point calibration. Calibration is essential when checking different materials, surfaces with different curvature radii or coatings with varying thicknesses. The instrument is supplied with Fe and NFe calibration bases and a set of standard foils, which are useful for preparing the device correctly before measurement and for periodically checking measurement consistency.

The internal memory allows work with 1 volatile measurement group in DIR mode and 4 non-volatile measurement groups in GEN mode, with automatic recording of up to 2,000 values. This function is particularly useful for repetitive inspections, batch checks, internal quality control and documentation of results. The statistical function displays the number of measured values, average, maximum, minimum and standard deviation, giving the technician a clearer view of coating uniformity and process stability.

The instrument includes an alarm function with indication when lower or upper limit values are exceeded. This allows acceptance thresholds to be set and non-compliant thicknesses to be identified quickly, such as coatings that are too thin, too thick or uneven. It is a useful function for body shops, industrial painting, electroplating, metal fabrication, production of coated parts, anti-corrosion protection checks and inspections on parts subject to defined technical specifications.

The available measuring units are µm, mm and mils, allowing the device to adapt to different working habits and technical documentation. The USB 2.0 interface enables data transfer, which is useful when measurements must be archived, compared or included in inspection reports. The 128 x 128 pixel LCD display makes values and operating indications easy to read, while automatic switch-off after 3 minutes helps preserve battery life during daily use.

In practical applications, the PCE-CT 80-F5N3-ICA is suitable for inspections on bodywork, industrial painted parts, frames, metal structures, surface-treated components, machinery, plants, metal fabrications, galvanized, chrome-plated, anodized or coated parts. It can be used in production departments, workshops, technical laboratories or directly at the customer’s site, providing a practical solution for quickly verifying coating quality and identifying deviations before delivery, assembly or component acceptance.

The instrument is not designed to measure heights, transmission clearances or geometric errors such as flatness, concentricity, parallelism, roundness or form profiles. Its specific function is coating thickness measurement on metal substrates. However, in a complete technical inspection, coating thickness can be an essential value because it affects surface protection, appearance, component durability, corrosion resistance, functional fits and compliance with customer specifications.

The minimum curvature radius is 5 mm for convex surfaces and 25 mm for concave surfaces, while the minimum measuring surface is Ø17 mm. The minimum base material thickness is 0.2 mm for ferrous substrates and 0.05 mm for non-ferrous substrates. These values should be considered before measurement, especially on small, thin, curved or geometrically complex parts, because the shape of the part and the substrate thickness can influence measurement stability and reliability.

Delivery scope:

1 x Paint thickness tester PCE-CT 80-F5N3-ICA
3 x AAA batteries
1 x Instruction manual
1 x Carrying case
1 x Set of standard foils
1 x Calibration plates (Fe and NFe)
1 x ISO-Calibration Certificate