Modal Gallery Slideshow
The TQC Sheen Coatmaster Flex is a portable non-contact coating thickness gauge using patented Thermal Layer Testing (TLT) - it measures wet or cured coatings on metal, paper, rubber, glass, plastic and wood from 2-15 cm away, at any angle up to ±70°.
Manufactured by our TQC Sheen brand, the Coatmaster Flex (SKU LD5865) is a portable, non-contact Thickness Testing gauge that measures the Coating Testing of wet or cured and dried powders and paints. It uses the patented Thermal Layer Testing (TLT) principle – not magnetic induction, not eddy current, not ultrasound – so it works on ANY color coating (including white) applied to ANY substrate.
Used by powder coating applicators (architectural, automotive, industrial), coil coating manufacturers, automotive OEM paint shops, aerospace coating QC labs, wood and plastic coating operations, and industrial paint applicators running in-line QC – the Coatmaster Flex measures coating thickness on metal, paper, rubber, ceramic, coil, glass, plastic and wood surfaces with fast and reproducible results, even on critical parts with narrow or moving surfaces.
The measuring principle enables in-line QC during the coating process – measure wet paints and powder coatings BEFORE drying or curing, so out-of-spec coatings can be reworked before the oven rather than after. Customers using the Coatmaster Flex report material consumption reductions of up to 30%, and savings of up to $6,000 per month on coating material per production line. Distance tolerance is 2-15 cm, tilt tolerance is up to ±70°, and measuring time is as low as 20 ms. Weighing 1.3 kg without battery, the Coatmaster Flex is genuinely portable rather than bench-mounted only.
Works on any color coating on any substrate. Thermal Layer Testing (TLT) uses coating thermal response, not magnetic or electrical properties – so the same instrument measures paint on metal, powder coating on aluminum coils, lacquer on wood, coatings on plastic, glass and rubber, and even white coatings that defeat some optical methods.
Measures wet or cured – so you can fix problems BEFORE the oven. Range 1-1000 μm for cured powder and dried paints, 1-400 μm for wet paints before drying, and 1-400 μm for powder coatings before curing. Measuring the wet or uncured coating means out-of-spec applications can be reworked or corrected in-line, before the coating cures.
Up to 30% material savings, rapid ROI. Customer-reported material consumption reductions of up to 30% and savings of up to $6,000 per month on coating material per production line – the rapid ROI story that makes the Coatmaster Flex a documented capital investment justification for powder coating and industrial paint operations. Genuinely portable (1.3 kg without battery) means one gauge can move between lines rather than needing one per station.
Analyzing coating thickness early in the process allows you to document and control your in-line coating processes. As well as dramatically reducing coating material, it helps you to produce coatings with high accuracy so you can maintain optimal quality standards.
With total control over your coating thickness measurements, you’ll avoid the need for frustrating and costly rework and rejects, detecting and correcting deviations before they become a problem.
The Coatmaster Flex rapidly offers you an attractive return on investment, slashing your environmental footprint by reducing your material consumption by up to 30%. Customers tell us this has saved them up to $6,000 per month on coating material, per production line.
Built for accuracy, reliability and convenience, our device requires minimal calibration, plus it’s insensitive to the angle and distance of measurement. The Coatmaster Flex is so easy to use – just pick it up and start measuring!
Our portable coating thickness gauge follows the thermal layer testing (TLT) principle, and our patented technology doesn’t rely on magnetic induction or ultrasound. So, you get contactless, non-destructive control over the testing of your coatings.
It will analyze the thickness of coatings applied to metal, paper, rubber, ceramic, coil, glass, plastic and wood surfaces. You can expect fast and reproducible measurements, even on critical parts with narrow or moving surfaces.
Coating processes are highly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. A coating thickness gauge must be easy to handle and operate – wherever and whenever you need it.
The Coatmaster Flex is both portable and durable, offering contactless and non-destructive support in industrial environments, with zero dangerous emissions. It provides fast and reproducible results, even on critical parts with narrow surfaces.
The Coatmaster Flex brings the coating process for coils into the target range after only a few meters. Savings of coil and coating material pay for themselves in just a few months.
Each Coatmaster Flex ships with:
Coating thickness measurement is covered by ISO 2808 (Paints and varnishes – Determination of film thickness) which describes multiple measurement methods including the thermal-optical principles the Coatmaster Flex uses. Product team to confirm exact ISO 2808 method compliance and any additional certifications (e.g. NADCAP for aerospace coating QC, IATF 16949 for automotive OEM supply chain).
Across the Industrial Physics portfolio, we have a wide range of coating thickness testers and accessories.
For example, there’s the TQC Sheen Coating Thickness Gauge for Fe and NFe to consider. Then you could check out the TQC Sheen Resistivity Gauge for Coatings.
We’ve been making devices for coating inspection for all types of applications over many decades. We’ve learnt a thing, or two about best practices and we like to share these insights with our customers.
In the knowledgebase section of our website, you’ll find blogs related to the product on offer here. First up, there’s this one – how to measure paint thickness with a coating thickness gauge – a blog that does what it says on the tin! Then perhaps you’d find this second article useful: everything you need to know about paint curing.
When you enquire about the Coatmaster Flex, our TQC Sheen specialists will confirm your typical coating types (wet paint, dried paint, uncured powder coating, cured powder coating), primary substrate range, thickness range being measured, and whether you need any application-specific accessories or training. For high-value in-line QC deployment, our specialists can walk through the ROI calculation using your current material consumption and production line data.
For purchasing teams, we provide the SKU (LD5865), quotation turnaround and technical documentation for internal sign-off – including calibration verification approach, battery lifecycle, and integration with your ERP or QC data systems.
Every Coatmaster Flex is supplied with a 1 year parts and labour warranty as standard – our Industrial Physics group commitment across all brands. Because the Coatmaster Flex is a portable in-line QC tool, ongoing support focuses on the rechargeable 18V battery pair, the durable transport case, and periodic calibration verification. To arrange service, contact our support team.
Beyond the warranty period, the Industrial Physics global service network provides advice on Coatmaster Flex deployment for different coating and substrate combinations, ROI calculation refinement using your material savings data, and integration with related TQC Sheen coating QC tools including the Coating Thickness Gauge for Fe and NFe and the Resistivity Gauge for Coatings.
SKU: LD5865
Applications: Coating Testing, Thickness Testing
Materials: Glass, Metal, Paints and Coatings , Paper, Plastics and Polymer, Rubber, Wood
Cured powder / dried paints: 1 – 1000 μm
Wet paints before drying: 1 – 400 μm
Powder coatings before curing: 1 – 400 μm
Measuring time: from 20 ms
Distance tolerance: 2 – 15 cm (Depending on coating and substrate material)
Tilt tolerance: 1 ± 70°
Measurement on moving parts: yes
Relative standard deviation: 1 % (60 μm powder coating before curing on aluminum, 5 cm working distance)
Measures coatings of any color (incl. white): yes
Real-time data access via ERP and browser: yes
Weight (without battery): 1.3 kg
Dimensions: 374 x 91 x 203 mm
Declaration of Conformity
The primary savings come from measuring wet paints and uncured powder coatings BEFORE they set – so out-of-spec applications can be reworked or corrected in-line, before the oven, before the coating cures. Customers using the Coatmaster Flex report material consumption reductions of up to 30% – the rapid ROI story that justifies the capital investment for busy production facilities running multiple coating lines. On coil coating lines, the Coatmaster Flex brings the coating process into the target range after only a few meters of coil – so the coil savings alone often pay for the instrument within months.
Thermal Layer Testing (TLT) is a patented non-contact measurement principle developed for coating thickness. Instead of using magnetic induction (which requires a ferrous substrate), eddy current (which requires a conductive non-ferrous substrate) or ultrasound (which requires acoustic coupling), TLT applies a brief thermal pulse to the coating surface and measures the resulting thermal response. Because the response depends on coating thickness and thermal properties rather than substrate properties, the Coatmaster Flex works on metal, paper, rubber, ceramic, coil, glass, plastic and wood substrates – including any color coating, and measuring wet paints and uncured powder coatings before they solidify.
The Coatmaster Flex kit includes the gauge (1.3 kg without battery, 374 x 91 x 203 mm), rechargeable 18V batteries (two supplied so one can charge while the other runs), charger, and durable transport case. The gauge requires minimal calibration for routine use. Ongoing consumables are minimal – just battery replacement over the long term. For QMS-defined periodic calibration verification, contact our support team. Data can be accessed real-time via ERP integration or browser interface.
Cured powder and dried paints: 1-1000 μm. Wet paints before drying: 1-400 μm. Powder coatings before curing: 1-400 μm. Measuring time from 20 ms per measurement. Distance tolerance is 2-15 cm depending on coating and substrate material. Tilt tolerance is ±70°. Relative standard deviation of 1% (measured on 60 μm powder coating before curing on aluminum at 5 cm working distance).
Substrates: metal, paper, rubber, ceramic, coil, glass, plastic and wood. Coatings: wet paints, dried paints, uncured powder coatings, cured powder coatings, in any color including white. The measurement principle is coating-focused (thermal response of the coating layer), not substrate-focused, so the same instrument covers applications where a magnetic induction gauge (ferrous substrates only) or eddy current gauge (conductive non-ferrous only) would need different instruments per substrate type.
High energy costs → Adopted advanced temperature data logger → Accurate insights into oven curing times unlocked ✓
Industrial processes are often energy heavy, expensive and harmful to the planet. Sadly, many companies don’t appreciate how easily they can optimize their operational efficiency.
If you use industrial powder coating ovens then Industrial Physics can empower you to better understand your energy use with tools like the TQC Sheen CurveX temperature data-logger
Learn how our aluminium profiling customer managed to cut their energy use by a third, slashing costs and helping them to offer a more sustainable service in the process.
© 2026 Industrial Physics. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Manage consent
Arrange a Service 
Make an Inquiry 
Request a Quote 
Get Product Support 
Arrange a Service