ENROL ANY TIME.

This course is targeted at Technical staff, generally science graduates, including laboratory chemists and sales staff working in the coatings-related industries.

Who should apply?

Technical staff, generally science graduates, including laboratory chemists and sales staff, working in, or wishing to enter the paint, ink or other coatings related industries.

Participants are generally employed by:

• Paint or ink manufacturers
• Raw material suppliers
• Manufacturers that use coatings

How will you benefit?

SCAA’s technical education programs are well accepted and valued by the coatings industry, both in Australia and internationally. Graduates can be assured of a solid grounding in the technology involved in the development and use of modern surface coatings

Having successfully completed the course you will receive SCAA’s Certificate of Surface Coatings Technology.

Course prerequisites and exemptions

Due to the level of technical content, the general requirement is a Degree or Diploma in Chemistry or an equivalent qualification.
Those without a tertiary qualification may apply, but must have successfully completed a Secondary Year 12 certificate including Chemistry, with a recommended minimum 5 years of relevant experience in the coatings or related industry.

• A high level of English language ability is required.
• As a guide to the level required, refer to the ‘Sample Lesson’ included later in this section.
• Given the specialised nature of the course, exemptions will not be considered.

Hardware / Software requirements

The course is designed for modern browsers on computer desktops, laptops and tablets.

Reference texts

Surface Coatings Vols. 1 & 2 published by SCAA, are very relevant reference texts for this course. The textbook order form can be accessed via the ‘Media’ or ‘Education’ sections of this website.

It is not essential to purchase these reference texts, but they provide excellent further reading on all subjects of the course.

Course Structure

The course syllabus comprises 51 lessons, structured into 6 units. Students should complete all units and lessons in the given sequence.

Early units of the program cover the types of materials used in coating manufacture: polymers, pigments, solvents and additives. The later units build upon this foundation, covering the formulation and applications of surface coating products.

Unit one: Polymers

This unit comprises the following 14 lessons:

• 1.1 Introduction to Polymer Science Save
• 1.2 Vegetable Oils
• 1.3 Varnish Resins, Oleoresinous Media
• 1.4 Alkyd Technology
• 1.5 Modified Alkyds
• 1.6 Water Reducible Polymers
• 1.7 Amino & Phenolic Resins
• 1.8 Cellulosic Polymers
• 1.9 Epoxies, Curing Agents and Silicones
• 1.10 Polyesters, Vinyls, Rubber, Tar and Olefins
• 1.11 Acrylic Solution Polymers
• 1.12 Latex Polymers – Part 1
• 1.13 Latex Polymers – Part 2
• 1.14 Polyurethane Resins
• Exam 1

Unit two: Solvents & Additives

This unit comprises the following 6 lessons:

• 2.1 Solvents, Diluents and Thinners Part 1
• 2.2 Solvents, Diluents and Thinners Part 2
• 2.3 Introduction to Rheology
• 2.4 Rheology Modifiers
• 2.5 Surfactants
• 2.6 Coating Additives

Unit three: Pigments & Colour

This unit comprises the following 7 lessons:

• 3.1 Colour Theory and Measurement
• 3.2 Introduction to Pigments
• 3.3 Inorganic Pigments
• 3.4 Titanium Dioxide & Opaque Polymers
• 3.5 Organic Pigments
• 3.6 Anticorrosive & Extender Pigments
• 3.7 Dispersion Theory & Methods
• Exam 2

Unit four: Coatings Types

This unit comprises the following 16 lessons:

• 4.1 Formulation Parameters
• 4.2 Corrosion and Conversion Coatings
• 4.3 Heavy Duty Protective Coatings
• 4.4 Marine Paints
• 4.5 Decorative Coatings – Introduction
• 4.6 Decorative Coatings – Water based
• 4.7 Decorative Coatings – Solvent based
• 4.8 Decorative Coatings – Substrates, and Tinting Systems
• 4.9 Wood Stains & Finishes
• 4.10 Automotive Primers / Undercoats
• 4.11 Automotive Top Coats
• 4.12 Automotive Refinish Systems
• 4.13 Industrial Coatings
• 4.14 Coil Coatings
• 4.15 Metal Container Coatings
• 4.16 Powder Coatings

Unit five: Printing Inks

This unit comprises the following 2 lessons:

• 5.1 Printing Ink Technology – Part 1
• 5.2 Printing Ink Technology – Part 2

Unit six: Technical Management

This unit comprises the following 6 lessons:

• 6.1 Chemical Toxicology
• 6.2 Occupational Health & Safety
• 6.3 Analysis of Coatings
• 6.4 Statistical Process & Quality Control
• 6.5 Environmental Sustainability
• 6.6 Environmental Certification & Regulation
• Exam 3

Assessment

Formal assessment will be by 3 written exams, which follow completion of units 1, 3 and 6 respectively.

1. The exams are conducted ‘in-person’ rather than on line, and generally these are arranged to be held at your workplace. We work with you to nominate a manager or supervisor there who agrees to act as supervisor for your exam. He/she ensures that an agreed time is specified to sit the paper, an appropriate room is provided, and that you complete the paper under exam conditions.
2. Ahead of your exam date, the SCAA Technical Education Committee mails your exam paper to the nominated supervisor by Express Post. Once you have completed the paper, the supervisor then signs and returns it to the SCAA Technical Education Committee for marking.
3. Students are required to complete the 3 exam papers, the first upon completion of the Unit 1 lessons, the second after Unit 3 is completed, and the third and final exam once you have finished all the lessons of the course – i.e. after Unit 6 is completed.
4. As you approach these stages and are coming up to an exam point, we ask that you inform the Course Admin Centre of this (admin@scaa.asn.au) and request an exam paper to be sent to you, and we contact you to arrange the necessary details for you to sit the paper.
5. The exams are closed book sessions, and the questions are nearly all multiple choice, with a few calculation questions. There are no essay or discussion questions. For Exams 1 and 2, 90 minutes is allowed, and for Exam 3, 120 mins is allowed.
6. Past exam papers are not available, but the self-assessment questions that appear in each section of every e-lesson are a good guide to the style of questions that appear on the exam papers. Reviewing the ‘Key Learning Objectives’, ‘Remember’ and ‘Summary’ screens of each e-lesson makes sense too.
7. The pass mark for the course is 50% across the total 3 papers – i.e. if you happened to fail one of the 3 exams with a mark below 50%, you can still pass the course if you pass the other 2 papers sufficiently well.

Standard Fees

Non-Members

• Australian residents: AUD $2,530 incl GST
• Overseas residents: AUD $2,300

SCAA & SCANZ Members (discounted fees apply)

• SCAA members: AUD $1,760 incl GST
• SCANZ members: AUD $1,600

You can enrol any time via the “REGISTRATION & PAYMENT” button link at the top of this page.

Payment will be required at the time of enrolment and is preferred to be by PayPal or credit card. Where necessary, payment by EFT or cheque will be available but will require notification to SCAA at: admin@scaa.asn.au.

After enrolment and payment, you will be issued with a unique user id and password with which you will be able to access the course materials