This document specifies methods for the determination of

—    the presence of colourless chromate conversion coatings,

—    the presence of hexavalent chromium in colourless and coloured coatings on zinc or cadmium or aluminium-zinc (mass fraction of aluminium: 55 %, within a range of 54 % to 56 % mass fraction) and zinc-aluminium (mass fraction of aluminium: 5 %) alloys,

—    the total chromium content per unit area on zinc and cadmium,

—    the mass per unit area of both colourless and coloured coatings,

—    the satisfactory adhesion of chromate conversion coatings, and

—    the quality of chromate coatings.

These methods are applicable to

—    colourless and coloured chromate conversion coatings containing trivalent and hexavalent chromium in varying proportions and produced by either chemical or electrochemical processes, and

—    chromate coatings that are free from any supplementary coatings, such as oil, water or solvent-based polymers or wax.