What is Salt Spray Test? - FAQs | Marine Toggle Switch Panels, Fuses, Circuit Breakers Manufacturer | YIS Marine

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What is Salt Spray Test?

What is Salt Spray Test?

What is Salt Spray Test?

Salt Spray Testing (SST) is an accelerated corrosion test that simulates high-salinity environments to evaluate the corrosion resistance of metal materials or surface treatments such as galvanization, electroplating, painting, and anodizing. This test is widely used in aerospace, automotive, marine, electronics, and industrial components to ensure that products maintain functionality and structural integrity when exposed to marine climates in the ocean with salty air or industrial pollution.

Why Conduct Salt Spray Test?

In natural environments, metal materials undergo oxidation reactions when exposed to oxygen, moisture, and salt, leading to rusting or corrosion. These effects are especially severe in marine, humid, cold, or polluted industrial environments. The purpose of the salt spray test is to quickly simulate long-term environmental exposure, helping manufacturers optimize material selection and protective coatings to ensure product durability.

How is Salt Spray Testing Conducted?

Since the salt spray test is designed to evaluate how products or metal materials perform in real-world conditions, creating a realistic test environment is critical. There are two main approaches to salt spray testing:

Natural Exposure Test

This method involves placing products or materials in real-world outdoor conditions and observing their exposure to natural weathering. However, due to uncontrollable environmental variables, this test can take months or even years to yield conclusive results. Therefore, it is mainly used for specific products or field studies.

Natural Exposure Test

Artificially Accelerated Salt Spray Test

Artificial testing is conducted in a sealed chamber at approximately 35°C using a 5% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution. The solution is atomized through a specialized tower-type airflow spray system, creating a uniform high-humidity and high-chloride ion environment. This method accelerates the corrosion process, providing faster evaluation results. Testing conditions—such as temperature, humidity, spray duration, and pH value of the solution—are set according to various standards, testing duration ranges from 24 hours to several thousand hours, depending on the application requirements and industry standards. For instance, automotive components may require 240-hour testing, while marine equipment might demand stricter conditions.

Artificially Accelerated Salt Spray Test

Three Major Types of Salt Spray Test

Salt spray tests have evolved into different variations to simulate diverse environmental conditions:

Three Major Types of Salt Spray Test

1. Neutral Salt Spray Test (NSS) The earliest and most commonly used method, NSS involves dissolving pure water and 5% sodium chloride into a mist at elevated temperatures. It assesses the corrosion resistance of general metals and coatings.
Parameter	Value
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)	5% (g/L)
pH	6.5 - 7.2
Compressed Air Pressure	1.00 ± 0.01 kgf/cm²
Spray Volume	1.0 - 2.0 ml/80cm²/h
Pressure Tank Temperature	47 ± 1°C
Saltwater Tank Temperature	35 ± 1°C
Test Chamber Temperature	35 ± 1°C
Test Chamber Humidity	≥85%

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2. Acetic Acid Salt Spray Test (ASS) Similar to NSS but with an acidified solution (pH ~3.0) using acetic acid, ASS is suitable for evaluating aluminum, zinc coatings, and decorative electroplating (such as nickel-chrome).
Parameter	Value
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)	5% (g/L)
pH	3.0 - 3.2
Compressed Air Pressure	1.00 ± 0.01 kgf/cm²
Spray Volume	1.0 - 2.0 ml/80cm²/h
Pressure Tank Temperature	63 ± 1°C
Saltwater Tank Temperature	50 ± 1°C
Test Chamber Temperature	50 ± 1°C
Test Chamber Humidity	≥85%

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3. Copper Accelerated Acetic Acid Salt Spray Test (CASS) A more aggressive test where a small amount of copper chloride is added to the ASS solution to evaluate highly corrosion-resistant coatings, commonly used in marine and aerospace applications.
Parameter	Value
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)	5% (g/L)
Copper Chloride (CuCl₂)	0.26 g/L
pH	3.0 - 3.2
Compressed Air Pressure	1.00 ± 0.01 kgf/cm²
Spray Volume	1.0 - 2.0 ml/80cm²/h
Pressure Tank Temperature	63 ± 1°C
Saltwater Tank Temperature	50 ± 1°C
Test Chamber Temperature	50 ± 1°C
Test Chamber Humidity	≥85%

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Salt Spray Testing Standards Different industries follow various international standards to ensure consistency and reliability. The most commonly referenced standards include:
Standard	Issuing Body	Application
ASTM B117	ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)	Provides guidelines for consistent salt spray testing
ISO 9227	ISO (International Organization for Standardization)	Ensures globally recognized salt spray testing standards
JIS Z 2371	Japanese Industrial Standards	Establishes guidelines for salt spray testing procedures
ASTM B368	ASTM	Specifies conditions for copper-accelerated salt spray testing
ASTM G85	ASTM	Modified salt spray testing for different materials

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How Are Salt Spray Test Results Interpreted? Are There Grades?

Salt spray test results are usually assessed based on the sample's corrosion condition. There is no exact conversion between test duration and real-world lifespan, as corrosion rates depend on material properties, environmental conditions, and protective coatings. However, approximate estimates can be made:

1. Natural Exposure Test (NSS)
Test Method	Test Duration	Equivalent Coastal Exposure	Equivalent Natural Exposure
NSS	1 hour	5 days	15 days
NSS	24 hours	120 days	1 year

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2. Acetic Acid Salt Spray Test (ASS)
Test Method	Test Duration	Equivalent Coastal Exposure	Equivalent Natural Exposure
ASS	1 hour	15 days	45 days
ASS	24 hours	1 year	3 years

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3. Copper Accelerated Acetic Acid Salt Spray Test (CASS)
Test Method	Test Duration	Equivalent Coastal Exposure	Equivalent Natural Exposure
CASS	1 hour	40 days	120 days
CASS	24 hours	960 days	8 years

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Although salt spray test results provide useful indicators of corrosion resistance, they do not directly translate to real-world durability since environmental factors vary. The test mainly serves as a comparative benchmark for material performance.


Corrosion Spread (mm)	Grade
None	10
0.0 – 0.5	9
0.5 – 1.0	8
1.0 – 2.0	7
2.0 – 3.0	6
3.0 – 5.0	5
5.0 – 7.0	4
7.0 – 10.0	3
10.0 – 13.0	2
13.0 – 16.0	1
	0

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As a professional supplier of marine and industrial equipment, YIS Marine understands that corrosion resistance directly impacts product reliability and lifespan. In YIS Marine we have internal lab that is capable of conducting salt spray testing quickly based customer’s OEM requirements during product development process. We also select durable materials such as stainless steel, corrosion-resistant coatings, and industrial-grade plastics to enhance durability for our marine related products. If you are looking for high-quality, corrosion-resistant solutions, contact our sales team for expert advice and customized recommendations.

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What is Salt Spray Test? | Over 20 Years Marine Electrical Products & Accessories Manufacturer | YIS Marine

Based in Taiwan, China since 1992, Yih Sean Enterprise Co., Ltd. has been a marine electrical and electronic products manufacturer. Their main marine and boat products, include 12/24V accessories, switch panels, fuses, circuit breakers, switches and lights, which has served more than 200 customers worldwide with international safety standards.

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