Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Hydrogen embrittlement problem

 

Dear sir,

We are an automotive components supplier and deal with a lot of high-strength steel parts supply to automotive assembly plants. We presently have a lot of test fail results (using direct tensile test methods) on one of the high-strength steel components. My question is, since all our high-strength steel components went through rainbor plating for corrosion protection, is the failure due to the hydrogen embrittlement? Because the metal part broke apart.

Thank you,

Khlim
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Not possible to determine the cause of failure from the amount of information you have supplied. I suggest you test some parts without putting them through the plating process, and see if they fail. If unplated parts are OK but plated parts fail, the plating process is the problem. If parts fail whether plated or not, the problem is with the material or design of the component.

Bill Reynolds [deceased]
consultant metallurgist - Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
We sadly relate the news that Bill passed away on Jan. 29, 2010.