Protracting extended service life from coatings in aggressive environments requires rigorous adherence to surface preparation and application specifications.  In the Navy and other marine and industrial applications, this is managed by comprehensive quality assurance (QA) inspection at every stage in the painting and preservation processes.

The majorities of U. S. coating contractors collect, maintain, and entrust their QA records to “paper.”   The amount of paper generated for a single preservation job – painting and preserving one (1) ballast tank, for example - can range from a few specific sheets to multiple binders to a conglomeration of boxes.  Management of these paper systems is both time consuming and labor intensive and does not lend itself to data analysis and trending.   

The NST Center has developed a real-time, QA data collection, recording, storage, and analysis system which provides the process-control tools necessary for effective management of preservation, in-process work.  This system utilizes the most currently available, automated, QA-data-collection instruments while providing a user-friendly, data-upload accepting Oracle database and a Web-based storage site, accessible around the world via the internet.  Preservation record keeping can be completely paper free, allowing managers to easily track job performance, trend deficiencies, and access data from any PC anywhere. 

PQADS’ data analysis is dependent upon preset system parameters and business rules, and out-of-spec conditions are automatically annotated and tracked.  Decision makers are electronically notified within seconds any time conditions fall outside these parameters, and managers can now make informed decisions predicated on complete, accurate, up-to-date (real-time) data.