DSS-R.03.02 — Separator Pad Ghost / “Waffle” Print

Separator pad ghost / “waffle” print is an appearance change on glass caused by packaging/separator pads (foam, corrugated, felt, polymer “waffle” grids) used in racks/crates between lites. It presents as grid or checker imprints, pad-outline veils, or speck/adhesive islands coincident with pad contact zones. Artifacts may include plasticizer/adhesive transfer and pressure marks from long dwell, heat, or vibration. Classification is appearance-only per VIS (method-agnostic). Inspect after Non-Invasive Reveal under VIS lighting/geometry; record surface numbering and worked-surface status.

• Regular grid/waffle pattern (e.g., 5-20 mm pitch) or rectilinear/round pad outline repeating at rack spacing.
• Matte veils under pad footprint with clean “negative” gaps at grid voids; occasional adhesive specks at nodes.
• Orientation consistency across multiple lites suggests crating/racking origin.

Surface-catch class (MSRT)

• Typically SC-0 (film/pressure-only).
• SC-1 can appear where plasticizer/adhesive cross-linked (UV/heat dwell) or minor micro-texture formed from trapped fines; SC-2 uncommon-re-evaluate if present.
• Perform one light, non-marring pass on a small revealed test patch (substrate), not over gummy nodes. Use polymer stylus if a functional coating is suspected. MSRT supports classification only.

Visual signature

• Repeating geometric pattern (grid/waffle/checker) with even pitch; sharp pad edge or rounded corners depending on separator style.
• Node-centered dots or tiny adhesive islands at pressure points; no chip-flank sparkle (not mechanical scoring); no fused pits (not hot-particle).

Viewing / lighting

• Evaluate clean & dry at 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal incidence and oblique sweep (~60°-120°); raking resolves grid relief, node islands, and boundary lines. Record distances/angles in-frame.

Location / access

• Record pane ID and surface numbering (#1-#4; laminate-internal). Fixed parallax placing the pattern on #2/#3 (IGU cavity) → CAT-5 by location (out of in-place scope) and refer.

Mechanism cue (context)

• Evidence of delivery racks/crates, separator remnants, foam/corrugate pads, or shipping photos; patterns often align across multiple adjacent lites received together.

Assign CAT by visibility at acceptance geometry and MSRT after a controlled reveal on a small area. Depth values are indicative-field measurement not required.

• CAT-1 (Benign / non-relief): Faint grid/pad outline; SC-0 after reveal; mainly angle/raking visible. Indicative relief: 0-10 μm (optical film).
• CAT-2 (Light): Persistent pad veil with node islands and occasional SC-1 (aged transfer); limited standard-view impact. Indicative relief: ~10-40 μm.
• CAT-3 (Moderate): Wide-area grid legible at standard distance, creating visual clutter; localized SC-1→SC-2 at heavy nodes (rare). Indicative relief: ~40-120 μm.
• Reclassify when: After true residue lift, any modeled micro-texture or SC>0 persists broadly → evaluate under Ch.06.02 hydrophobic mismatch halo (if wetting contrast dominates) or Ch.04.02/.03 (if solvent/alkali burns present).
• CAT-5 (by condition/location): Between-pane by parallax, integrity issues, or coated-face 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. Suction cup rings (R.03.01): Cup artifacts are large circles/ovals with lip+puck; separator ghosts are small-pitch grids or pad outlines repeating at rack spacing.
• vs. Adhesive label/sticker ghost (R.01.05): Labels are isolated, discrete shapes; separator ghosts are repeating and arrayed.
• vs. Mineral deposition rings (Ch.03.02): Mineral rings are concentric/puddle-based; separator patterns are uniform grids or pad rectangles.
• vs. Paint overspray (R.02.01): Overspray is a random speck field; separator ghosts are regular, equal-pitch with node emphasis.
• vs. Coating anomalies (Co-family): Factory non-uniformity lacks grid congruence and often sits on #2/#3; separator ghosts occur on exposed faces unless cavity-side (then CAT-5).

• Photo set (VIS): 12 / 36 / 72 in, normal + oblique; raking macros of grid nodes, pad edges, boundary lines; context frames of racks/crates/pads. Record distance/angle in-frame.
• MSRT result (substrate): After a small reveal test patch, perform one light, non-marring pass; record SC-class (SC-0/SC-1/SC-2).
• 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.03.02 Separator Pad Ghost / “Waffle” Print - Regular grid/pad-outline veil with node islands on surface #___; post-reveal test patch shows [SC-0/SC-1]; visible at [12/36/72 in] under VIS geometry. Morphology: equal-pitch waffle, pad rectangle/round, repeating across lites; no chip-flank sparkle, no discrete pits. Classification: CAT-[1/2/3] by visibility and SC-class; CAT-5 if between-pane or coating-side loss on the surface to be worked. Forms + photo set attached; acceptance per VIS-A §6.