Supporting the Evaluation of Coating Systems through Quantitative Image Analysis of Their Structures

Abstract. This article presents exemplary methods for evaluating the quality of coating systems using image analysis techniques. It discusses the types of information that can be obtained about the analyzed coating systems, considering different observation approaches and the use of various imaging methods. A typical image processing workflow, designed to enable digital measurements of the examined objects, is also described. The data obtained in this manner provides objective, quantitative information characterizing the analyzed coatings. Although the discussed methods for quantitatively assessing the geometric structures of materials are commonly applied in microstructural analyses, they are still not widely used in other areas. Therefore, the authors focus on demonstrating their potential for assessing the quality of various coating systems.