A Review of Perforation Corrosion Testing - 1980 to 1990

In the past decade, the major emphasis on automotive corrosion testing has been on the cosmetic performance of outer body panels. A number of accelerated and long terms tests have been established to evaluate the cosmetic corrosion resistance of materials systems. In this time frame, perforation corrosion resistance was addressed by automotive companies through the use of heavier coated sheet steels, pre-applied organic coatings, and improved design considerations, and perforation corrosion evaluations were primarily accomplished by full vehicle proving grounds testing. However, proving grounds testing is not a viable alternative for materials suppliers, and there is no consensus on a standard, reliable laboratory test for perforation corrosion evaluations. As an objective of the Perforation Corrosion Subcommittee of SAE ACAP Division 3, a literature review was conducted to document the basic aspects of perforation corrosion, and to compile the various methods for evaluating perforation corrosion of body panels in the automotive environment, including test panel configurations, corrosion test procedures, and evaluation techniques.