Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Aluminum on Stainless Steel

I am conducting research on the various process solutions available for applying aluminum on stainless steel.

In particular, I want to coat/plate/spray the outside of stainless steel cylinders with aluminum. This is in order to braze several aluminum plates onto the cylinder. Coating it with aluminum will create similar metals and allow for brazing to occur easily. (This is not set in stone and other potential processes for attaching aluminum plates onto the stainless steel cylinders are welcome!)

Plating is a possible solution, but few companies will plate aluminum on stainless steel. The one company who will do it (Alumiplate) does not have sufficient capacity for our product.

Thermal spraying (as well as other forms of sprays) can also do it, but brazing will destroy the coating after. As a result, I would appreciate your assistance and recommendation in this matter.

Thanks and have a blessed day!

Gabriel Tsang
R&D - Woodbridge, ON, Canada
2007

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Have you considered using cold spray Aluminium?
we spray aluminium as a brazing media often

Alex Cameron
- Windsor, Ontario
2007

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IVADIZE or ion vapor deposited aluminum might do the trick particularly if it's peened after application to densify it. While more grainy and porous than the Alumiplate deposit, we've used it with success in some applications where aluminum over non-aluminum substrates is desired. Some suggestions as far as IVD aluminum coating houses are Cametoid in Toronto area, Titanium Finishing near Allentown PA, and AAA in greater LA California. It's widely used on fasteners used in the aerospace industry so the capacity is much greater than the solvent-based Alumiplate process offers.

Milt Stevenson, Jr.
Syracuse, New York
2007