Industry News

Simple Guidelines for Choosing a Metal Parts Cleaning Method
Today, most metal fabricators and machine shops have two parts-cleaning options: aqueous water-based cleaning or solvent-based cleaning inside a vapor degreaser. Both methods can provide quality cleaning results. However, each has its distinct drawbacks and advantages. Aqueous or water cleaning is a process that uses water and chemical additives to get parts clean. The water is treated with detergents or surfactants, builders, emulsifiers, saponifers, sequestering agents, chelating agents and a variety of other compounds to boost the cleaning performance. Using a three-step process, parts are washed in a series of machines, followed by a secondary rinse step to carry away ...

Review—Conversion Coatings Based on Zirconium and/or Titanium
There is a growing interest in conversion coatings based on titanium and/or zirconium as the result of the health and environmental issues associated with legacy chromate and phosphate conversion coatings. Any alternative technology should be environmentally friendly and cost effective, and also able to achieve comparable corrosion resistance and paint adhesion for ferrous and non-ferrous substrates. Conversion coatings based on titanium or zirconium seem to fulfill many of these requirements and thus offer a great potential for further applications. This literature review summarizes the scientific results in this rapidly growing area of research. Following the description of composition of conversion ...

5 Ways to Avoid Galvanic Corrosion
According to Corrosionpedia: Galvanic corrosion (also called bimetallic corrosion or dissimilar metal corrosion) is a deteriorative electrochemical process that occurs when two dissimilar metals are in contact with each other in the presence of an electrolyte. This type of corrosion is characterized by the accelerated corrosion of one metal, while the other remains mostly unaffected. In other words, one metal becomes the anode and corrodes preferentially, thus sacrificing itself while protecting the other metal, the cathode. Galvanic corrosion is relatively aggressive and causes millions of dollars in damage annually. Countermeasures to prevent its formation must be taken into consideration at ...

Important Advice You Need To Know For Proper Surface Treatment
According to The Clinton Courier: Surface treatment is the process of changing the molecular makeup of a surface so that it interacts with an adhesive ink, coating, paint, or another surface to form a strong bond. Surface treatments come in a variety of styles. Hard chrome plated layers have traditionally been used. Meanwhile, modern techniques such as laser cladding have emerged. he key motivation for applying surface treatment is to improve protection against any corrosion or wear and tear on any part of machinery until it is finally assembled. The three-part method, which involves corona, rotor spray, and drying technology, ...

Phosphate Conversion Coatings
According to Products Finishing: Convert: To change into another form, substance or state. In the case of phosphate conversion coatings, the substrate metal participates in the coating reaction and becomes a component of the coating. Phosphate conversion coatings are formed from the surface of the base metal outward. Therefore, the thickness of the coating is dependent upon the porosity of the coating as it forms. Once the surface is sealed from the chemical solution, the reaction stops. Phosphate conversion coatings are an integral part of most finishing operations, serving one or more of the following functions: increase corrosion resistance, absorb ...

The Process Of Phosphating – Some FAQs
According to Engineering Review: Q. What Is the phosphating Process? Phosphating is the process of converting a steel surface to iron phosphate. This is mostly used as a pretreatment method in conjunction with another method of corrosion protection. A layer of phosphate coating typically includes iron, zinc or manganese crystals. Phosphating is a chemical process for treating the surface of steel, where barely soluble metal-phosphate layers are formed on the base material. The layers created are porous, absorbent and suitable as a conversion layer for subsequent powder coating without further treatment. Q. Why is phosphating done? The process of Phosphate ...