While you may be using cadmium brush plating for AOG repairs, other brush plating applications, such as nickel prebrazing, can be used throughout the OEM process.
By using selective plating for prebraze, an atomic bond is created between the deposit and the base metal, improving the wettability and increasing the brazeability of the component. The SIFCO Process® for prebraze is commonly used on inner and outer stators, seal areas, engine tail pipe pedal component assemblies, and turbine frames, sumps, blades and vanes in the aerospace industry.
Importantly, using the SIFCO Process® for prebraze meets aerospace specs AMS 2403, 2424, and 2451 and is approved by many Primes including Pratt and Whitney and Rolls Royce.
The SIFCO Process® can also be automated, which reduces the variances in plating, increasing quality outcomes and traceability.
To learn more about selective plating for prebraze, click here, where you will find useful downloads, videos and case studies.
You know what electroplating is. You know your component can be (brush) selective plated or tank plated. But why choose brush plating over tank, or vice versa? In the chart below we discuss the characteristics that are associated with each method.
Anodizing is the formation of an oxide film on aluminum using reverse current (part is anodic) and a suitable electrolyte. Depending on the particular type of anodizing process used, the resulting anodic coating provides improved wear resistance, corrosion protection, and/or improved adhesive properties for subsequent painting or adhesive repair.
(NOTE: Anodizing is not the same as using a chemical film, and the processes are not interchangeable. Chemical films come in the form of chromate conversion coatings, iridite and alodine. A chemical film is a coating which sits on top of the component and is used as a primer to improve adhesion when painting and/or it is used to enhance corrosion protection while still maintaining the component’s conductivity.)
What is Anodizing Used For?
Anodization has many uses, depending on the particular type of anodizing process used, it can improve wear resistance, corrosion protection and/or improved adhesive properties for subsequent painting or adhesive repair.
There are five principal types of anodized coatings: chromic, sulfuric, hard coat, boric-sulfuric and phosphoric. These types of anodizing differ markedly in the electrolytes used, the typical thickness of the coating formed, and the purpose of the coating.
CHROMIC TYPE I
o Providing anodizing on previously uncoated parts for corrosion protection.
o Repairing damaged anodized coating to restore corrosion protection.
o Used as a base for paint.
SULFURIC TYPE II
o Providing anodizing on previously uncoated parts for corrosion and/or wear
resistance.
o Repairing an anodized area for dimensional reasons.
o Restoring corrosion protection of a damaged anodized coating where final appearance is
not a factor.
HARD COAT TYPE III
o Building up worn or mismachined aluminum surfaces to blueprint tolerances.
o Replacing tank hard coat in new part manufacturing.
o Providing wear resistance and/or corrosion protection.
BORIC-SULFURIC TYPE 1C
o Environmentally suitable alternative to chromic acid anodizing.
o Providing anodizing on previously uncoated parts for corrosion protection.
o Repairing damaged anodized coatings to restore corrosion protection.
PHOSPHORIC
o Preparing aluminum surfaces for adhesive bonding.
In all anodizing processes, three processes occur simultaneously:
Electrolytic etching of aluminum.
Formation of the aluminum oxide (Al2O3) at the aluminum surface.
Dissolution of some aluminum oxide by the anodizing electrolyte.
While the first two processes are developing the anodic coating, the third one hinders its buildup and causes decreased coating hardness. When the anodic coating hardness is a primary requirement, such as in Type III hard coating, the anodizing process is carried out at temperatures ranging from 32°F/0°C to 55°F/13°C, according to the alloy, to minimize the coating dissolution. This requires the use of high-capacity cooling equipment.
Often, the anodized coating is left as formed and subsequently finished by painting or other similar methods. However, depending on the application requirements, some anodized coatings may require dyeing – while others may need to be sealed as a final step.
How is Anodizing Done?
There are a variety of ways anodizing can be done. One way you can andozine metals is by immersing the metal into a bath or tank and passing a current through the medium. This is known as tank plating. You can also do it using selective plating.
What is the difference between plating and anodizing?
Electroplating, or plating, is the process of coating one metal onto another metal surface, whereas anodizing forms an oxide film on metal parts.
Plating and anodizing are used for different reasons. For example, plating can be used to add a nickel coating on aerospace components for wear resistance, dimensional restoration and corrosion protection and you can use cobalt chromium carbide to provide wear resistance on engine components.
Selective anodizing is used when limited, selective areas of large, complex aluminum assemblies need anodizing to restore a previously anodized surface or to fulfill an original specification requirement.
Selective (brush) anodizing utilizes the similar techniques of selective (brush) plating but reverses the current flow. When anodizing, the tool becomes the cathode (negative) and the part becomes the anode (positive). The anodized coating (oxide film) is formed on a localized area of the aluminum surface in the presence of the electrolyte (anodizing solution).
Electrolytes for selective anodizing may be in the form of anodizing solutions or gels. The gel is used when working near critical components that may be damaged by splashed or running anodizing solutions. The gel stays over the work area and does not stray into inappropriate places such as aircraft instrumentation, equipment and crevices where corrosion would start. With the gel there is also less likelihood of damage to the airframe. The operating conditions for the gels are the same as for their respective solutions and they apply coatings of the same quality.
For more information on SIFCO ASC’s anodizing capabilities, please contact our Technical Department at 800-765-4131.
The following article, by SIFCO ASC Technical Manager, Derek Vanek, was recently published in
Selective (brush) plating is an approved low hydrogen embrittlement (LHE) process used to apply zinc-nickel onto localized areas of high strength steel components for corrosion protection.
It is used to apply localized deposits onto previously unplated parts as well as for repair of wear and corrosion on previously plated zinc-nickel. It is approved for the repair of defective cadmium and IVD aluminum on localized areas, and has been around for more than 20 years.
Zinc-nickel is an environmentally- and operator-friendly alternative to cadmium plating. It combines the sacrificial coating properties of zinc with the strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance of nickel – creating a surface finish that, in some cases, is superior to cadmium.
Its true alloy composition is between 9 to 14% nickel with the remaining being zinc. Thanks to the aerospace industry’s push to use safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives to cadmium plating, there’s been a significant use of LHE zinc-nickel deposits over the last few years.
Approved by manufacturers across the globe
The selective plating process of zinc-nickel is approved for use by manufacturers including Boeing, Goodrich, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, Bell, NASA, and Airbus.
Selective plating is a well-engineered method of electroplating that controls the thicknesses of deposits onto commonly used base materials for industrial components. As the name implies, the process is focused on a specific, ‘select’ area of a component.
The zinc-nickel plating process
The area that’s being plated along with the adjacent areas that are being masked are cleaned with a solvent. The surrounding areas are masked to protect them from the chemical process, and it helps isolate the area that needs plating. Typical masking materials include aluminum and vinyl tapes, masking paints, and special fixtures. In the case of zinc-nickel, the process is focused on the area to be plated. Masking is minimized to control the solution runoff from the part.
The selective plating process is highly portable and can be used in the shop or it can be taken into the hangar to work directly, in-situ, on the aircraft.
Minimal equipment is required for the zinc-nickel plating process. Equipment usually consists of:
a rectifier,
leads,
a hand-held plating tool (anode),
and a few accessories.
The actual volume of plating solution required at the worksite for a typical repair is less than 1 liter. Standard PPE (personal protective equipment) includes gloves, safety glasses, and local ventilation. The equipment below is representative of what is required for selective plating.
Zinc-nickel LHE – meeting exact specifications
In addition to numerous commercial specifications written, AMS 2451/9, Brush Plating Zinc-Nickel, Low Hydrogen Embrittlement was written specifically for selective electroplating of zinc-nickel.
The brush plated Type 2 deposit (using a trivalent chromium conversion coating), tested in accordance with ASTM B 117, will withstand 1000 hours of exposure to salt spray corrosion with no evidence of base metal corrosion; as well as passing hydrogen embrittlement testing with notched tensile samples being subjected to a 200 hour sustained load test at 75% of the notched ultimate tensile strength. This conforms with ASTM F519 and all applicable Federal, Military, AMS, ASTM requirements.
Selective plating of zinc-nickel as an LHE repair application is a safe, simple and much more widely used process today than has been the case since its development over 20 years ago. Certification for the use of this process is available through approved vendors. Training classes are typically three days. Operator recertification is typically required annually.
For more about SIFCO ASC and our zinc-nickel brush plating services, please contact us here.
According to a report published by the US International Trade Commission, “Remanufacturing is an industrial process that restores end-of-life goods to their original working condition.”
While the US is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of remanufactured goods, challenges still remain within the industry. Many products are not designed to be remanufactured, so it is the effort of OEMs and contractors to focus on incorporating principles of Design for Remanufacturing as well as provide services that include the adoption of remanufacturing to develop a closed-loop system.
The SIFCO Process® plays an essential role in the remanufacturing industry by restoring critical dimensions and surface properties of worn components back to their OEM requirements.
For capital goods with long lifecycles, remanufacturing with selective plating offers “like-new” functionality. With significantly less production cost and a low environmental impact, the SIFCO Process is used within the remanufacturing industry in the following sectors:
Aerospace: landing gear, actuators, and turbine engines
Electrical Apparatus: power distribution conductors, transformers, switch gears, and boards
Heavy-duty and off-road equipment: diesel engines, bearing journals, and housings
Railroad: drive motors and axles
Machinery: valves, turbines, and compressors
Marine: diesel engine components, pistons, and propeller shafts
The SIFCO Process® is a vital resource when you need to enhance repair, and rebuild your critical components. We partner with you to develop solutions to fulfill your specific application requirements.
SIFCO ASC Surface Treatments:
Provide corrosion protection
Improve wear resistance
Improve solderability or brazing characteristics
Decrease electrical contact resistance
Prevent galling
Serve as bearing surfaces
To learn more about SIFCO’s remanufacturing services, contact your territory sales representative or email us at info@sifcoasc.com.
Every second a vessel spends in the shipyard is one where it’s not creating value. And the cost of disassembly, transport, repair and re-installation of components can be immense. So, it’s good that the SIFCO Process® of selective electroplating brings repair and protection on-board.
Portable, quick and supported by our industry-leading team, the SIFCO Process® gives you a smarter way to enhance, repair, and protect components of pumps, motors, valves and engines in situ – and get your fleet back out there, creating value, faster.
The diversity of the process, deposits and applications have saved engineers thousands of dollars over the years by avoiding the expense of costly downtime, turnaround time and capital investment in new equipment. The SIFCO Process® also meets critical specifications such as MIL-STD 2197 (SH) and NAVSEA requirements.
If you think the SIFCO Process® of selective plating is the right repair application for your ship, please contact us. A team of trained technicians can be sent as soon as you need them, or you and your crew can be trained in the process to complete the repairs yourselves.
In the marine industry bigger components can be especially costly to replace. When a ship is in port, multiple repairs may be needed. Remanufacturing is an alternative option to replacing or re-engineering equipment and is worth considering.
Sitting at the heart of the remanufacturing decision is the used part that is at the end of its service life. Remanufacturing of a component should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Different processes, like selective plating, might be used in the remanufacturing process than were used in manufacturing the original equipment or part. Due to the high cost of marine equipment combined with the lead time required to purchase new equipment, remanufacturing with selective plating should always remain an option.
Using the SIFCO Process of selective plating technicians can expect:
Das Festfressen Zu Verhindern
Surface Hardness
Wear Resistance
Corrosion Resistance
And typical marine applications include:
PUMPS:
Bearing housings, Impeller bores, Shaft bearing journals, Seal areas
VALVES:
Gates, Discs, Valve stems, Seal rings
PROPULSION COMPONENTS: Propeller (line) shaft
journal, Seal areas, Line shaft bearings, Bearing saddles
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS: Motor generator bearing
housings, Rotor journals, Commutators, Bus bars
Depending on the application, selective plating can be mechanized or fully-automated. Mechanizing the process minimizes the direct contact the operator has with the tooling and chemicals by using a computer program to control the rectifier performing all of the pre-treatment and plating steps, providing consistent control of the process. While fully-automating the process removes the operator – and the variability- from the entire operation.
The main benefit of customized, fully-automated systems is that they require minimal need for operator intervention. Various pumps, flow systems, and cleaning agents, work together to change, catch, and circulate solution; while a robotic arm holds, oscillates, and changes the anodes needed throughout an entire plating operation.
By automating the selective plating process using a programmable logic controller, operators can review data captured through the human-machine interface to determine if the operation was completed correctly. If any errors do occur, or quality standards are not met, operators can review the data and trace the error to its source and assign the appropriate corrective action, preventing the errors from being repeated – effectively improving traceability and repeatability within the process. Additionally, automation reduces the ergonomic risk to the operator, and also increases the available capacity by allowing skilled operators to focus on the core business processes.
For more information on all of our in-port repair options, contact us today at 800-765-4131 or email us as info@sifcoasc.com.
Marine engineers can all agree, when the ship is in port, repairs need to begin immediately. Whether it is a damaged pump, bearing housing, propeller shaft, rotor journal, steam joint, or hatch cover, the repair traditionally needs to be completed while the ship is still in port. That limited amount of time forces the maintenance crew to prioritize what repairs they can complete now, and which ones can wait – posing potentially hazardous circumstances to the ship once it goes back out to sea.
Traditional repairs of various components of the engine room and propulsion systems include tank plating, thermal spray, welding, machining, and industrial paints. Unfortunately, most of these applications require disassembly, transportation to a nearby job shop, and the possibility for significant masking – all contributing to a potentially lengthy downtime.
This is not the case with selective plating. Rather than shipping the parts to the process, the process can be brought right to the parts. While selective plating can be applied in a dedicated workshop – or even as an automated process – its main benefit is that it is a truly portable repair service.
Selective plating is an electroplating method used to enhance, repair, and refurbish localized areas on manufactured components. The SIFCO Process® is the leading portable method of selective plating localized areas without the use of an immersion tank. It is primarily used for enhancing OEM components, permanent repairs, or salvaging worn and mis-machined parts.
Unlike the relatively complex processes of tank plating and thermal spray, only four core elements are required to for selective plating: a power pack, plating tools, plating solutions and a trained operator. It can be carried in port, or on board, and even be applied in situ.
The process is also easy to learn. With proper training shipboard engineers can take on the role themselves, adding value to the shipyard’s already extensive repair services.
In today’s marine market, efficiency and speed are critical. If selective plating has not yet been in your ships repair log, it may be high tide to look into it. For more information on selective plating, the SIFCO Process®, and how you can start using it in aboard your vessel, contact us today at 800-454-4131 or at info@sifcoasc.com
The oil and gas market is making a strong comeback after the downturn starting in 2014. After the restrictions were lifted on the four-decades long ban on oil exports in the beginning of 2016, the US witnessed a substantial increase in the demand for exported oil. Now with the expansion of the the output-cut deal between OPEC and other major producers extended until the end of 2018, the US oil benchmark has risen significantly. Crude oil prices have seen a steady climb in the past 12 months topping out at $80.50 per barrel. Many of the major oil firms like, Chevron, BP, Shell, and Total S.A. have recorded year-over-year growth in their top and bottom lines, with earnings likely to rise an additional 10-12% as upstream capital spending and the global rig count continue to increase.
With a positive outlook for the oil and gas market comes investment in new capital equipment, as well as refurbishment of old equipment to ensure the maximum lifetime value. With rigs operating sometimes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the constant wear and fatigue on the equipment causes corrosion, galling threads, ineffective seals, or worse.
One component that experiences such wear is the hydraulic cylinder on a blow out preventor. The o-ring on the hydraulic cylinder provides a fundamental corrosion protection if it maintains proper dimension.
But what do you do when your o-ring groove is out of dimension or damaged? Reaching these unique areas is not practical for your typical surface finishing techniques such as tank plating. In order to remain competitive, one must look for innovative ways to reduce costs while simultaneously reducing downtime and keep their equipment running longer.
One component that experiences such wear is the hydraulic cylinder on a blow out preventor. The o-ring on the hydraulic cylinder provides a fundamental corrosion protection if it maintains proper dimension.
But what do you do when your o-ring groove is out of dimension or damaged? Reaching these unique areas is not practical for your typical surface finishing techniques such as tank plating. In order to remain competitive, one must look for innovative ways to reduce costs while simultaneously reducing downtime and keep their equipment running longer.
Join us in our live webinar on November 7 at 3pm London/ 10am New York to learn about your options for plating grooves, receeses, keyways, threads, and other difficult to access areas.
Depending on the purpose of your groove, multiple deposits can be plated. Corrosion protection, interference fits, anti-galling, or re-sizing from over- or mis-machining can all be plated to your required dimensions without the need for disassembly or post-machining. You’ll understand the importance of proper groove maintenance and the consequences if these are not maintained.
Register today for this unique opportunity to learn about your options for a custom plating operation designed to solve your o-ring groove problems.
Excerpt from “Selective Brilliance: The Use of Brush Plating in the PowerGen Industry,” a whitepaper.
The majority of industrial and municipal electric power production in the US is produced by generators driven by steam or gas turbines, with a substantially smaller percentage being produced by wind turbines. At its core, a turbine consists essentially of a series of rotating blades, the normal mechanics of rotating equipment is one of the factors contributing to a variety of maintenance challenges.
Some problems are more common in gas turbines where corrosion of high-strength, high-cost forged steel components can take place over time. Corrosion may attack turbine shafting or other components in critical areas and, eventually, weaken a shaft. Within a turbine, corrosion and the subsequent erosion of metal results in what is termed ‘bucket rock’. This occurs because the blades within the turbine are not perfectly balanced until the turbine is running at full RPM. So, when a turbine starts up or shuts down the blades rock back and forth until full speed or complete halt is achieved. This rocking causes scraping and rubbing on the shaft, wearing down the metal and creating an area referred to as a bucket – an out-of-tolerance clearance between areas of the shaft and blades. Peak-load GenSets, distributed generating systems located in proximity to the end user, are particularly subject to additional stresses due to the frequency of cycling from on-line to off-line service. During the off-line periods of low-speed turning-gear rotation, the bucket rock wear problem occurs due to impact and erosion of precision bucket fit-to-wheel tolerances.
Other factors affecting both turbines and generators are high heat and on-going corrosion. Wear or scoring damage can occur on bearing journals or shaft seal areas due to poor lubrication, contamination or overheating. Various atmospheric contaminants and the galvanic potential of dissimilar metals may cause corrosion problems which can often be accelerated by heat, or a variety of fraying surfaces.
According to a report from consultancy firm GlobalData, global maintenance expenditure is expected to rise from $9.25bn in 2014 to $17bn in 2020, growth driven by increasing numbers of installations and ageing turbines.
Selective plating is one way to deliver anti-corrosion properties and protect against wear and friction. It can help protect, enhance and optimize the performance of critical components and equipment and can help to improve operating performance, life expectancy, reliability and total cost of ownership.
For the OEM, generators pose a range of unique challenges in design, production and maintenance as bus bar connections carry huge current loads and the conductivity and long-term integrity of these connections is essential to output efficiency. Copper and aluminum conductors and other critical grounding locations are commonly electroplated with silver or tin and, in certain applications, nickel.
Dynamic joints, which are subject to fretting, may also be candidates for special electroplating processes, particularly when dissimilar metals and galvanic potential are considered in design. Heat sinks present a different set of challenges and, depending on geometry, specific areas of the heat sink may best be electroplated with silver, tin or nickel while the balance of the surface area remains bare or has paint-type coatings applied.
Other areas where electroplating provides an effective solution are collector rings and exciter components that may have design requirements where electroplated components or specific surfaces of the component will require enhanced conductivity and extend service life. Generator retaining ring inside diameters and the shrink-fit mating area on the rotor/field forging often require enhanced surface treatments to ensure the long-term integrity of the electrical joint, current capacity and proper-fit dimensions.
There is a variety of methods commonly used for mechanical tolerance re-builds and the improvement and protection of current-carrying surfaces, some of which include weld overlay, metal/thermal spray, and plasticized metals powders, and off-site immersion tank plating. While all have their niches, none offer the distinct advantages of selective plating.
Significantly faster than tank plating, selective plating minimizes masking, disassembly and downtime, depositing solutions that resist wear, electrical contact and corrosion. It is fast and cost-effective and adaptable for everything from OEM product application to one-off repairs and can be carried out on-site, anywhere.
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