Substrate with external member

An apparatus comprising:

• (a) a substrate defining a longitudinal axis and including a level intermediate region disposed between a first end region and a second end region;
• (b) a plurality of external members, each of the external members protruding above the level intermediate region and disposed only partially around the first end region, wherein the plurality of the external members, when viewed at a substrate end view, collectively extend circumferentially around the first end region in a continuous manner, thereby resulting in a deposition region including the surfaces of the external members covering the first end region, an optional exposed first end region portion, and the intermediate region;
• and
• (c) a dip coated layer over the entire deposition region, wherein the portion of the dip coated layer over the external members and the optional exposed first end region portion is formed prior to the portion of the dip coated layer over the intermediate layer.

A coating method comprising:

• (a) providing an apparatus including:
• (i) a substrate including a level intermediate region disposed between a first end region and a second end region;
• (ii) a first external member disposed circumferentially around the first end region in a continuous manner and protruding above the level intermediate region, thereby resulting in a deposition region including the surface of the first external member covering the first end region, an optional exposed first end region portion, and the intermediate region;
• and
• (b) dip coating a layer of a coating solution over the entire deposition region, wherein the portion of the dip coated layer over the first external member and the optional exposed first end region portion is formed prior to the portion of the dip coated layer over the intermediate layer.