DSS-R.01.06 — Protective Film Adhesive Residue (aged)

Protective film adhesive residue (aged) is an appearance change on glass from construction/transport protection films whose pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) or plasticizers remain after removal-especially when films were over-aged, UV/heat exposed, or removed in cold. It presents as broad veils, edge-peel scallops, adhesive islands/strings, and tide-line halos matching the former film footprint. Classification is appearance-only per VIS (method-agnostic). Inspect after Non-Invasive Reveal under VIS lighting/geometry; record surface numbering and worked-surface status. Treat active residues per site safety.

• Panel-sized haze/veil with regular scalloped edges where film lifted in arcs; corner “ears” from diagonal pulls.
• Adhesive islands/strings scattered across the field; grid/print-through if the film had a scrim or printed backer.
• Tide-line rings where solvents/water dried during attempted removal; heavier near sun-exposed elevations.

Surface-catch class (MSRT)

• Expect SC-0 on the clean glass substrate once true adhesive is lifted (non-etch).
• SC-1 (slight) may appear where PSA cross-linked (UV/heat) or was over-worked with aggressive removers, leaving very shallow micro-texture. SC-2 is uncommon.
• Perform one light, non-marring pass on a small revealed test patch (substrate), not over gummy remnants. Use polymer stylus if a functional coating is suspected. MSRT supports classification only.

Visual signature

• Large, uniform veil bounded by scalloped/serrated edges, often with peel arcs and overlap “flags.”
• Adhesive islands (clear/amber dots), stringers, and die-line ghosting from film printing.
• No chip-flank sparkle (not mechanical), no discrete fused nodules/pits (not hot-particle).

Viewing / lighting

• Evaluate clean & dry at 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal incidence and oblique sweep (~60°-120°); use raking light macros to resolve veil interiors, edge scallops, and islands/strings. Record distances/angles in-frame.

Location / access

• Record pane ID and surface numbering (#1-#4; laminate-internal). If parallax shows residue inside an IGU cavity (#2/#3), classify CAT-5 by location (out of in-place scope) and refer.

Mechanism cue (context)

• Evidence of protective films/backer scraps, release-liner trash, heat/UV exposure notes, cold-weather pulls, or aggressive solvent use during removal.

Assign CAT by visibility impact at acceptance geometry and MSRT on a revealed test patch. Depth values are indicative-field measurement not required.

• CAT-1 (Benign / non-relief): Optical veil or island ghosting only; substrate SC-0 after true lift; visible mainly at angle/raking. Indicative relief: 0-10 μm (optical).
• CAT-2 (Light): Persistent thin PSA film within footprint with SC-1 (aged/cross-linked); limited impact at standard view. Indicative relief: ~10-40 μm.
• CAT-3 (Moderate): Broad panel-wide haze with dirty tide-lines, scallop edges legible at standard distance; SC-1 → SC-2 in worst islands. Indicative relief: ~40-120 μm.
• Reclassify when: After true residue removal, any modeled micro-texture or SC-class > 0 persists on the substrate → evaluate under Ch.04.02 Adhesive remover staining (solvent bloom) or Ch.04.03 Degreaser/alkaline burn as indicated.
• CAT-5 (by condition/location): Between-pane/inaccessible by parallax, integrity indicators (active cracks/pane movement), or confirmed functional-coating loss on the surface to be worked → CAT-5.

CAT is appearance-based; acceptance is separate under VIS-A at 12/36/72 in. Do not abrade to “force” removal during classification.

• vs. Adhesive label/sticker ghost (R.01.05): Labels are small, discrete shapes; protective film residues are large/panel-scale with edge scallops and pull arcs.
• vs. Silicone smear (R.01.01): Silicone tracks joints with tool-mark corduroy; film residue covers open fields with scalloped boundaries.
• vs. Butyl/PIB smear (R.01.02): PIB is dark/tacky and edge-line at spacers; film residue is clear/amber veil often panel-wide.
• vs. Mineral staining (Ch.03.02) / mineral etch (Ch.03.03): Mineral phenomena follow spray arcs/runs and may show ring halos; film residue follows film geometry with uniform interior veil.
• vs. Hydrophobic coating mismatch halo (Ch.06.02): Mismatch shows wetting-behavior edges; film residue shows scalloped peel patterns and adhesive islands; wetting contrast may be incidental.

• Photo set (VIS): 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal + oblique; include raking macros of edge scallops, islands/strings, tide-lines; add context frames (film scraps, release liners). Record distance/angle in-frame.
• MSRT result (substrate only): After lifting a small test patch without abrasion, perform one light, non-marring pass on the clean substrate; record SC-class (expect SC-0 unless aged conversion). Avoid stylus over active gummy residue.
• Forms: Pane ID; product family & surface numbering; worked surface Y/N; functional coating present on worked surface? (Y/N/Unknown); reveal status; lighting/time; geometry checklist; photos attached.
• Acceptance split: Post-restoration acceptance per VIS-A §6; classification ≠ acceptance. Coated-face appearance rules apply per VIS §6.2.e when the worked surface is a factory functional coating.

• R.01.06 Protective Film Adhesive Residue (aged) - Panel-wide veil with edge-peel scallops and adhesive islands/strings on surface #___; post-reveal test patch shows [SC-0/SC-1] substrate; visible at [12/36/72 in] under VIS geometry. Morphology: uniform interior veil, tide-line halos, scalloped boundaries; no chip-flank sparkle, no discrete pepper. Classification: CAT-[1/2/3] by visibility and SC-class; CAT-5 if between-pane, integrity cues, or coating-side loss on the surface to be worked. Forms + photo set attached; acceptance per VIS-A §6.