What causes porosity in metals?
What Causes Porosity in Metal? - J.F. Heat Treating Inc
Porosity in metal is a manufacturing defect that can leave your machinery vulnerable to a wide range of potential problems. While porosity may cause structural deficiencies, it may not necessarily require you to replace or recreate your metallic component. You should consult with a qualified expert in metallurgy in Gastonia, NC to learn more about how porosity in your metal alloy may be affecting the stability of your component or surface.
JINTAI Product Page
Causes of porosity
As metal cools and hardens, it also shrinks. This shrinkage may result in the formation of pores, which could adversely affect the metals structural integrity. There are a number of factors that could lead to porosity in metals, particularly die-cast metals, including:
- The purity of metals used: If you are working with impure metals, they may cool unevenly or prematurely, resulting in a higher degree of porosity. You should use only pure metals and alloys for structurally significant castings.
- Too much lubricant: When the mold is filled with too much lubricant, it may allow the metal to separate too early, resulting in uneven cooling. If this is the case, the end result will be an overly porous metal product.
- Low metal temperatures: If the metal is not poured into the mold at an appropriate temperature, it may cool too early, resulting in an overly porous final product. If this is the case, you should consider casting at a higher temperature moving forward.
- Sharp corners in the die: If the mold you are using has several sharp corners, it may be causing the metal to cool prematurely in areas where it is poured relatively thinly. This could result in an overly porous final product.
Testing and prevent porosity
If you believe that your metal surface is overly porous, the only way to test its structural integrity is to submit it to an x-ray machine. The x-ray will read out the overall porosity levels, and help you determine if the metal is stable and safe enough for use.
To avoid porosity in future metal alloy castings, you should work with your alloy suppliers to ensure that you are receiving the highest possible quality materials for all of your castings. Additionally, you may want to consider melting down your raw materials in a vacuum, so as to prevent gas porosity, and to keep impurities from entering the alloy. You should also consult with an expert in metallurgy in Gastonia, NC.
Since , J.F. Heat Treating Inc. has been the premier provider of metallurgy in Gastonia, NC. We take a tremendous amount of pride in our ability to deliver high-quality metallurgy services to communities throughout the region. If you suspect one of your metal alloy surfaces or components is porous, you should consult with one of our qualified metal experts at your earliest possible convenience. We can assist you with a wide range of heat treatments and more to ensure that your components are all structurally sound.
Reach out to J.F. Heat Treating Inc. to learn more about our comprehensive metallurgy services and receive some of the best customer service available in the entire state of North Carolina.
The company is the world’s best Fine Pore Porous Metal Components China supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
What Is Porosity And How Is It Caused?
To perform its function properly, an electroplated surface of a product often needs to be flat and consistent. Any imperfections on the metal coating or exposed areas on an electroplated surface can lead to several issues; from poor performance to severe, irreversible damage to the product. In the telecommunications industry, for instance, an uneven or porous surface of a connector can lead to electrical resistance and unsatisfactory performance.
Sometimes a simple fix such as applying plating masking products can help fix an issue. Other times problems cannot be so easily rectified. Although modern metal plating techniques produce high-quality finished parts, imperfections can still occur and one of the most common imperfections affecting metal plated products is porosity.
What is porosity and how does it affect products?
Porosity refers to microscopic holes which can occur in an electroplated metal coating of a product. If these small holes reach the base metal, or underplate if one exists, the metal is exposed and can be damaged. The biggest impact porosity can have on a product is corrosion.
Corrosion creep happens when corrosive elements pass through the holes to the base material and contaminate the surface. Certain environments and the use of harsh chemicals such as chlorine and sulphur can increase the corrosion in porous metal plating. Corrosion can be an issue with larger holes too which can be protected by using metal masking products, such as metal masking tapes.
Porosity can also impact a products performance due to insufficient thickness of the coating which lessens the overall strength and ductility of the metal coating. For example, if youre looking to apply a metal coating to achieve conductivity, porosity may lead to reduced conductivity and undesired results.
How do I prevent porosity in my products?
There are two ways you can prevent porosity from decreasing the durability and usability of your product and limit its negative effects:
- Ensure substrate surface is smooth before metal plating. By reducing the roughness and removing imperfections from the base metal which can lead to increased porosity, you can prevent the formation of pores. This can be achieved by polishing the surface thoroughly before electroplating.
- Applying an underplate. Although underplating cannot prevent porosity, it can help to prevent corrosion creep. If pores stop at the underplate rather than reaching the base metal, corrosion products cannot escape harming the metal plated surface.
There is also a range of plating masking products suitable for different electroplating processes which can also be used to protect the base metal surface from corrosion. Pull through plugs are designed to keep larger holes protected from harsh chemicals and contamination.
If you need advice on how to prevent porosity in your product or are experiencing any of the issues stated above, contact us. As a specialist in paint masking and plating masking products for electroplating, we can recommend the most suitable course of action for your product, and our sister company Dorsetware performs metal plating services in Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Devon and the M3 corridor. Get in touch with us today by calling 661 300.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Metal Heterosexual Filter China.
Comments
0