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⚖️ Standards Comparison Center

Side-by-side technical comparison of equivalent standards across ISO, AMPP, NACE, SSPC, ASTM, SAE, and FEPA. Essential reference for specification writers and global procurement.

Blast Cleaning Equivalency

ISO vs AMPP / NACE / SSPC — Blast Cleaning Grade Equivalency

Complete cross-reference of surface cleanliness grades from ISO 8501-1 (Sa grades) and AMPP/SSPC surface preparation standards.

Cleanliness GradeISO 8501-1 (Sa)AMPP (2021)Former NACE No.Former SSPC-SPMax. Staining (%)Typical Applications
White MetalSa 3AMPP SP 5NACE No. 1SSPC-SP 50%Immersion, buried, tank linings, severe marine
Near-White MetalSa 2½AMPP SP 10NACE No. 2SSPC-SP 10≤5%Marine, offshore, pipeline, bridges — most common
Commercial BlastSa 2AMPP SP 6NACE No. 3SSPC-SP 6≤33%Atmospheric exposure, general industrial structures
Brush-Off BlastSa 1AMPP SP 7NACE No. 4SSPC-SP 7Not definedZinc-rich primers, shop primer, maintenance overcoat
Industrial BlastBetween Sa 2 and Sa 2½AMPP SP 14NACE No. 8SSPC-SP 14≤10%Zinc-rich primers, some atmospheric systems
Power Tool — Bare Metal—AMPP SP 11—SSPC-SP 11N/AInaccessible areas requiring bare metal
Power Tool CleanSt 3AMPP SP 3—SSPC-SP 3N/AMaintenance, small areas
Hand Tool CleanSt 2AMPP SP 2—SSPC-SP 2N/AMinor maintenance, inaccessible zones
Solvent Clean—AMPP SP 1—SSPC-SP 1N/ADegreasing — always first step
📌 AMPP Merger Note: All joint NACE/SSPC surface preparation standards were re-designated as AMPP standards in 2021. Technical requirements are unchanged. Old designations remain valid for existing specifications.
Water Jetting Equivalency

ISO 8501-4 vs AMPP SP 12 — High-Pressure Water Jetting Grades

GradeISO 8501-4AMPP SP 12Pressure RangeDescriptionApplications
CleanWj 1WJ-1Ultra-high: >170 MPa (25,000 psi)No visible contamination. Equivalent to white metal blast in cleanliness but no profile imparted.Maintenance of previously coated surfaces, offshore
Very ThoroughWj 2WJ-2High/Ultra-high: >70 MPa (10,000 psi)Randomly stained surface, ≤5% of each unit area retaining firmly adhering discoloration.Marine topside maintenance, chemical plant
ThoroughWj 3WJ-3High: 34–70 MPa (5,000–10,000 psi)≤33% of each unit area stained. Loosely adhering material removed.Atmospheric maintenance overcoating
LightWj 4WJ-4Medium: 7–34 MPa (1,000–5,000 psi)Removal of loosely adhering material only.Substrate preservation prior to spot repairs
⚠️ Profile Consideration: Water jetting does not impart a surface profile. When re-coating previously blast-cleaned steel, the original surface profile may be sufficient. For new steel, blast cleaning must precede or follow water jetting to achieve the required anchor pattern.
Abrasive Size Cross-Reference

SAE J444 vs ISO 11124 — Metallic Abrasive Size Comparison

Cross-reference of SAE shot and grit size designations with ISO 11124 equivalent sizes and typical surface profile achievability.

SAE SizeNominal Dia. (mm)ISO 11124 ClassTypeRz Profile (µm)Rz Profile (mils)Typical Use
S-7802.00—Shot90–1303.5–5.1Heavy castings, rail track
S-5501.40—Shot70–1102.8–4.3Heavy structural steel
S-3901.00—Shot55–902.2–3.5Structural, pipe
S-3300.85—Shot45–751.8–2.9General industrial
S-2300.60—Shot32–551.3–2.2Most common general use
S-1700.45—Shot25–451.0–1.8Sheet metal, automotive
G-161.18CIG/CSG 16Grit90–1353.5–5.3Thermal spray prep, heavy plate
G-250.85CIG/CSG 25Grit65–1002.6–3.9Offshore, pipeline, marine
G-400.60CIG/CSG 40Grit50–802.0–3.1General industrial, bridges
G-500.425CIG/CSG 50Grit38–651.5–2.6General industrial
G-800.212CIG/CSG 80Grit25–451.0–1.8Thin coatings, precision
📌 Profile Note: Values shown are typical achievable Rz profiles on Grade B–C steel in a production blast cabinet or airblast setup at standard parameters. Actual profile depends on abrasive hardness, blast pressure, standoff distance, angle, and substrate condition. Always verify profile with test panels before production blasting.
Non-Metallic Abrasive Comparison

ISO 11126 vs SSPC-AB 1 — Non-Metallic Abrasive Standards

Abrasive TypeISO 11126 PartSSPC-AB 1 CoverageMohs HardnessMax ConductivityFree Silica (%)
Copper refinery slagISO 11126-3Yes (Type 1)6–7≤250 µS/cm<1%
Coal furnace slagISO 11126-4Yes (Type 2)6–7≤500 µS/cm<1%
Nickel refinery slagISO 11126-5Yes (Type 3)6–7≤250 µS/cm<1%
Olivine sandISO 11126-6Yes (Type 4)6.5–7≤100 µS/cm<1%
Staurolite—Yes (Type 5)7–7.5≤100 µS/cm<1%
Fused aluminium oxideISO 11126-7Yes (Type 6)9≤30 µS/cm<0.5%
GarnetISO 11126-8Yes (Type 7)6.5–8≤100 µS/cm<1%
Surface Profile Measurement Methods

ISO 8503 vs ASTM D4417 — Surface Profile Measurement Comparison

MethodISO StandardASTM StandardInstrumentParameter MeasuredAccuracyField Use
Comparator (tactile)ISO 8503-2ASTM D4417 Method A (visual)ISO 8503 comparator (S or G type)Qualitative: Fine / Medium / CoarseSubjective✅ Yes
Replica tapeISO 8503-5ASTM D4417 Method CTestex Press-O-Film + spring micrometerRz (peak-to-valley), ±20%±20% typical✅ Yes
Digital profilometer (stylus)ISO 8503-4ASTM D4417 Method BContact profilometer, 2 µm stylus tipRa, Rz, Rmax, Ry per ISO 4287±5–10%✅ Yes (portable)
Optical / non-contact——Confocal microscopy, interferometryFull 3D surface characterization<1%❌ Lab only