Shaken, Not Stirred

Q. We are an American corporation with operations in India. For one of our applications, we use an epoxy primer (BMS 10-11Y, type I, class A, grade E, water-reducible epoxy primer, green 44-GN-011). We are in the midst of a Nadcap certification audit, and one of the points that came up is our use of a mechanical shaker to mix the base, catalyst and water. Our specification (BAC 5736) says that these elements can be mixed with a paint shaker, if it meets certain conditions.
Can you please clarify if our product is suitable for mixing in a paint shaker? The instructions on the paint can read: “Fill the original container from the catalyzed material with water and shake or stir.” N.N.

A. I can’t give you a definite answer without reading the specification, which I don’t have. It is important to remember that specifications were written to ensure continuity, repeatability and quality in the finished product.
Normally, if the instructions on the can say “shake or stir,” you should be able to shake. However, for your sake, I recommend asking the folks at your corporate headquarters to clarify this for you. Large corporations like your parent company certainly have a standards department that should be able to clarify these issues.