Surface Treatment Process

Introduction: The surface of the manufactured product must be

processed to ensure certain characteristics and properties, which is known as surface treatment

Advantages:
Control Friction and wear Improve resistance to corrosion and oxidation Change physical property Alter dimension Improve appearance and provide glossy texture Reduce cost

Classification :
Surface treatment process can be divided into two major categories: 1. Treatment that cover the surfaces Such as organic and inorganic coatings (overlay coatings). 2. Alter the Surface Such as hardening, high-energy treatments, thin diffusion treatment , heavy diffusion treatments and special treatments (diffusion coatings, thermal treatments and mechanical surface treatments)

Treatment that cover the surfaces

Conversing Coatings:
1. Oxide coatings : Gun Bluing type oxidation Chemical bath Anodizing 2. Phosphate coatings 3. Chromate coatings

Electroplating:
It is electrochemical process by which metal is deposited on a substrate by passing current through the bath. Anode (+): The material to be deposited Cathode(-): Material to be coated The bath is filled with an electrolyte, which has metal to be coated in ionic form. Note: 1. Maximum thickness of deposit is about 0.05mm 2. Materials such as chromium, nickel, cadmium, copper, zinc are common plating materials 3. Applications includes hydraulic shaft and engine cylinders, etc.

Common Coating Metals

Zinc - plated on steel products such as fasteners, wire goods, electric switch boxes, and sheetmetal parts as a sacrificial barrier to corrosion Nickel - for corrosion resistance and decorative purposes on steel, brass, zinc die castings, etc. Also used as base coat for chrome plate Tin - widely used for corrosion protection in "tin cans" and other food containers

Copper - decorative coating on steel and zinc, either alone or alloyed as brass

Also important in printed circuit boards

Chromium - decorative coating widely used in automotive, office furniture, and kitchen appliances

Also one of the hardest electroplated coatings for wear resistance Gold is also used for electrical contacts

Precious metals (gold, silver) - plated on jewelry

Electro-less plating:

Also known as autocatalytic plating. Which involves deposition without any current applied. The process is a chemical reaction and is autocatalytic. Electro-less plating involving a nickel sulfate bath has reaction of NiSO4 + NaH2PO2 + H2O Ni Plating + NaH2PO3 + H2SO4

The plating thickness tends to be uniform compared to electroplating. The coating thickness usually less than 50m in practice due to low deposition rate. Autocatalytic plating is used widely for machine frame, base plates, fixture. This process is can also be used to coat non-conducting materials, such as plastics and ceramics.

Hot Dipping
Metal substrate (part) is immersed in a molten bath of a second metal; when removed, the second metal is coated onto the first Common substrate metals: steel and iron Coating metals: zinc, aluminum, tin, and lead Primary purpose is corrosion protection

Hot Dipping Processes

Galvanizing - zinc coated onto steel or iron

Most important hot dipping process

Aluminizing - coating of aluminum onto a substrate

Excellent corrosion protection, in some cases five times more effective than galvanizing

Tinning - coating of tin onto steel for food containers, dairy equipment, and soldering applications

Hard facing process:

Hard facing is a process in which, weld materials, with superior properties than base, are applied to the substrate. Two layers total 3-6mm thick are applied to reduce surface hardness dilution.

Category

Process
Flux core arc welding (FCAW) Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) Plasma arc welding (PAW) Shield metal arc welding (SMAW) Submerged arc welding (SAW) Oxy/fuel gas welding (OFC) Electron beam welding (EBM) Electro slag welding (ESW)

Arc welding

Torch welding

Other welding

Furnace Braze (FB) Laser beam welding (LBM)

The Most common hard facing materials are nickel alloys and iron / chromium alloys used in wear resistance and high stress abrasion.

Metal Alloy

Purpose

Cobalt-base alloys Copper-base alloys Iron chromium alloys Manganese steel Nickel-base alloys Tool steel Tungsten carbide

Wear and corrosion resistance Rebuilding worm machinery parts High stress abrasion Wear application Metal to metal wear resistance Tooling, wear application High stress abrasion

Table: Common materials for hard facing

Thermal spraying: Thermal spraying processes form a continuous coating by melting the consumable material into droplets and impinging these droplets on the base material. The coating material can be in the form of wire , rod or powder. The surfaces to be sprayed are first cleaned and roughened to improve bond strength and coatings are applied. The applications included aircraft engine components requiring resistance to wear and corrosion . The mechanism of bonding to the surface in thermal spraying is, both mechanical locking and atomic interaction. Common thermal spraying processes: 1. Flame spraying (FLSP) 2. Plasma arc spraying (PSP) 3. Electric arc spraying (EASP) 4. Detonation gun (D-GUN) 5. High velocity oxy/fuel (HVOF)

Flame spraying (FLSP) :

In this process uses 27600C oxyacetylene flame is used to melt the target which may be powder, rods or wires.
Spray nozzle
Air passage Fuel & oxygen Sprayed material

Coating Metal

Process

Target

Energy source

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Flame spraying (FLSP) Plasma arc spraying (PSP) Electric arc spraying (EASP) Detonation gun (D-GUN) High velocity oxy/fuel (HVOF)

Powder, rod or wire Powder Wire (motor driven) Powder Powder

Oxy acetylene flam Plasma gun Electric arc Spark ignition of explosives Oxygen, hydrogen, fuel