ASTM B117-26 PDF

Full title and description

ASTM B117-26 — Standard Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus. This practice specifies apparatus, procedures, and environmental conditions for producing a controlled neutral salt spray (fog) exposure used to generate comparative corrosion-resistance information for metals and coatings in accelerated laboratory conditions.

Abstract

ASTM B117-26 defines how to prepare and operate salt spray (fog) chambers to produce a repeatable, neutral-salt environment (commonly called NSS) for accelerated corrosion testing. The document focuses on chamber construction and operation, solution preparation and quality, fog deposition rate, temperature control, specimen placement, test monitoring, and reporting; it does not prescribe specimen geometry, exposure durations, or pass/fail criteria for specific products.

General information

• Status: Current.
• Publication date: 01 January 2026 (latest 2026 edition).
• Publisher: ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials).
• ICS / categories: Corrosion of metals — ICS 77.060 (corrosion testing / environmental simulation).
• Edition / version: ASTM B117-26 (2026 edition), superseding the prior edition.
• Number of pages: 12 pages (main practice document).

Details above are taken from the ASTM publication record and standard distributors.

Scope

This practice covers the apparatus, procedure, and conditions required to create and maintain a continuous neutral salt spray (fog) environment for laboratory corrosion exposures. It describes suitable apparatus (see Appendix X1), solution composition and preparation, chamber climate control, and measurement/monitoring practices. The standard explicitly does not define specimen types, exposure durations, or acceptance criteria — those are to be specified by the purchaser, product specification, or associated test method.

Key topics and requirements

• Neutral salt solution: typically ~5% sodium chloride (NaCl) by mass prepared with distilled/deionized water and maintained at a near-neutral pH (commonly 6.5–7.2).
• Chamber temperature: target 35 °C in the exposure zone (with allowed control tolerances specified in the practice).
• Fog (spray) deposition rate: specified deposition (fall‑out) rate typically in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 mL per 80 cm² per hour to ensure repeatability.
• Apparatus and accessories: nozzle and reservoir design, specimen racks, drainage and ventilation, and Appendix X1 guidance for suitable chamber types and layouts.
• Solution and water quality: requirements for water purity, solution concentration checks, pH control, and specific‑gravity or conductivity monitoring.
• Calibration, monitoring, and records: periodic verification of temperature, fog deposition, solution concentration, and documented test records and observations.
• Limitations and interpretation: the practice warns that salt spray exposure is a comparative, accelerated laboratory environment and often correlates poorly with real‑world atmospheric corrosion unless corroborated by other exposure data.

Typical use and users

ASTM B117-26 is used by materials and coatings laboratories, quality control and production testing in plating and painting facilities, R&D teams evaluating corrosion protection, procurement/specification authors, and industries such as automotive, aerospace, defense, marine, and general metal finishing where comparative corrosion resistance data are required for process control, benchmarking, or contract compliance.

Related standards

Commonly referenced or complementary documents include ISO 9227 (salt spray and related corrosion tests), ASTM G85 (modified/cyclic salt spray procedures), ASTM D1735 and D2247 (related humidity/fog tests), ASTM D1654 (evaluation of painted specimens), and various industry/military test methods that call up B117 for apparatus operation. Users often pair B117 practice with product‑specific exposure criteria from those standards or OEM requirements.

Keywords

salt spray, salt fog, NSS, neutral salt spray, corrosion, accelerated corrosion testing, NaCl solution, fog deposition, salt spray chamber, ASTM B117, chamber operation, corrosion resistance.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ASTM B117-26 is the 2026 edition of the Standard Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus — a practice that defines how to prepare and operate neutral salt spray chambers for accelerated comparative corrosion exposures.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers apparatus requirements, solution preparation and quality, chamber environment and monitoring (temperature, fog deposition), specimen placement guidance, and reporting; it does not set specimen sizes, exposure durations, or pass/fail criteria for specific products.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Test laboratories, coating and plating process control teams, product R&D, procurement/specification writers, and industries such as automotive, aerospace, defense, marine, and general metal finishing.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: As of the 2026 edition it is current; the B117-26 revision represents the latest published practice (2026 edition). Users should confirm the edition required by their contract or specification.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: B117 is a standalone practice for operating salt spray apparatus, but it is widely referenced by many other test methods and standards (for example some ASTM test methods and industry specifications) that rely on B117 for chamber operation and environmental control.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Salt spray, neutral salt spray (NSS), fog, corrosion testing, NaCl solution, fog deposition rate, chamber temperature, accelerated corrosion, ASTM B117.