Extend Your Air Cylinder Life With Corrosion-Resistant Coatings

Extend Your Air Cylinder Life With Corrosion-Resistant Coatings

Understanding The Various Causes Of Corrosion Can Help You Select The Best Protection For Your Application & Environment

corrosion-resistant coatingsCorrosion is one of the biggest enemies to industrial applications. Luckily, there are viable solutions that won’t cost you an arm and a leg — corrosion-resistant coatings. By forming an impermeable barrier between the base metal and outside elements, coatings can maximize the lifespan of components operating in harsh conditions.

Corrosion-resistant coatings can also optimize performance, providing friction resistance, reducing wear and by helping components maintain precise tolerances.

Leading pneumatic components manufacturer, Fabco-Air, Inc., shares how understanding the various types of corrosion can offer insight when selecting corrosion protection for your application and environment. »

 

Galvanic Corrosion

Galvanic corrosion, also referred to as bimetallic corrosion, is an electrochemical process that occurs when dissimilar metals are in contact or near proximity to each other and are exposed to moisture or even high humidity. The less noble of the two metals will corrode preferentially while the more noble material will remain essentially undamaged. For example, an aluminum cylinder end cap will corrode while the steel fasteners that hold the assembly together do not.

Barrier Coatings provide a unique barrier film to prevent galvanic corrosion of dissimilar metals. It encapsulates the component to which it is applied and provides a non-conductive surface similar to the jacket on an electrical wire. Because it is chemically bonded to the substrate, it provides a highly durable, watertight shield against the elements.

General Corrosion

One of the most common sources of corrosion is frequent or harsh washdown practices. Repeated, high-pressure washing can remove protective finishes over time, causing the bare components to become susceptible to general corrosion.

You can prevent this conventional form of corrosion with any General Corrosion Resistance Coating designed to provide protection against atmospheric and environmental conditions—such as high humidity, acid rain, salt spray and salt air.

Removal of Passive Oxide Surface

Aluminum and stainless steel rely on a passive oxide layer on the surface of the component for corrosion protection. Cleaning solutions can penetrate or remove this layer drastically, reducing corrosion resistance.

Unprotected steel, aluminum and even some grades of stainless steel can also be damaged by cleaning solutions. Therefore, they require a Caustic and Oxidizer Coating that is designed to protect components against the harmful effects of detergents, caustic cleaners, and oxidizers (bleach) that are commonly used in the foodservice industry.

Stress Corrosion

Cleaning solutions can also cause intergranular oxidation within the microstructure of metals. It may not be obvious to the naked eye, but it can result in components failing when placed under load.

Caustic and Oxidizer Protection, designed to protect components against the harmful effects of detergents, caustic cleaners, and oxidizers (bleach), is also an effective solution to this type of corrosion.

 

Trust Fabco-Air To Protect Your Pneumatic Equipment

Fabco-Air, Inc. offers proprietary coatings for their aluminum air cylinder product lines—a cost-effective alternative to stainless steel. The corrosion-resistant coatings provide a durable, smooth silver finish that is similar in appearance to natural stainless steel or aluminum.

In rigorous life-cycle testing, coated aluminum products were well-protected against the effects of harsh environments. For a fraction of the cost of 303 or 304 stainless air cylinders, Fabco delivers superior, corrosion-resistant aluminum cylinders within 14 to 20 days.

For complete assurance that our products will meet or exceed your expectations, send IBT your application details. IBT is proud to partner with Fabco to provide verification testing of performance in advance of any purchases.

 


 

For Corrosion-Resistant Coatings & More—Reach Out To IBT’s Fluid Power Experts Today!

IBT Industrial Solutions can supply a comprehensive array of fluid power products and services to protect your applications from the harmful effects of corrosion. To learn more about our Fabco offering or how IBT Fluid Power Specialists can increase the productivity of your fluid power operations, contact us or give us a call at 913-677-3151!

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