SSPC VIS Standards

Surface Visual Reference

The SSPC VIS Standards are visual reference guides providing high-quality color and monochrome photographs to objectively assess steel surface cleanliness and rusting levels. Designed to complement the SSPC/NACE written standards, these guides reduce subjectivity in evaluation by clearly illustrating various blast cleaning conditions and rust grades, supporting consistent quality control across inspection operations.

Features

Five distinct VIS guides covering different surface and rust conditions
Over 50 reference photographs per VIS for consistent grading
Displays varying rust levels (grades 1–9) in both color and B&W
Complements SSPC/NACE written standards (SP‑5 through SP‑WJ‑4)
Multilingual support (English, Spanish, Portuguese) in selected editions
Portable printed booklets for on-site use
Standardized benchmarks for accurate surface assessment
Reduces subjectivity in surface evaluation
Ideal for auditor or inspector reference
Durable, printed format with consistent lighting and angle fidelity

Applications

Validation of dry abrasive blast cleaning (VIS 1)
Assessment of rust on painted or weathered steel (VIS 2)
Verification of hand and power tool cleaning (VIS 3)
Inspection of waterjet-cleaned surfaces (VIS 4 / NACE VIS 7)
Evaluation of wet abrasive blast cleaned surfaces and flash rust (VIS 5 / NACE VIS 9)
Coating preparation audits
Shop and field inspection training aids
Supplier surface quality verification
Surface prep documentation for coating applications
Compliance support in coating and surface treatment industries

Technical Data

VIS Guide	Coverage	Use Case
VIS 1	Dry abrasive blast cleaning	SP‑5 to SP‑14 grading
VIS 2	Rust grading on painted steel	Rust levels 1–9 percent-based classification
VIS 3	Hand / power tool cleaning comparison	SP‑2, SP‑3, SP‑11 visual verification
VIS 4 / 7	Waterjet cleaning benchmarks	WJ‑1 to WJ‑4 surface cleanliness visual aid
VIS 5 / 9	Wet abrasive blast cleaning and rust-back visuals	Wet blast standards and flash rust inspection

Tags: blast cleaning reference, coating prep reference, NACE VIS standard, rust grading guide, SP‑5 SP‑6 SP‑7 SP‑10, SSPC VIS Standards, SSPC/NACE visual guide, steel surface cleanliness guide, surface prep evaluation, visual standard for steel

Tags:

SSPC VIS Standards, steel surface cleanliness guide, blast cleaning reference, rust grading guide, NACE VIS standard, surface prep evaluation, coating prep reference, visual standard for steel, SP‑5 SP‑6 SP‑7 SP‑10, SSPC/NACE visual guide