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Aluminum transmission case badly corroded

2004

Hello,

I am working for city of Philadelphia as an engineer.We recently come across with a highly corroded transmission casing made up of Aluminum,which is used in a haul truck used to handle a bio recycling center sludge. There are 11 trucks but only one truck is highly corroded. Alisson transmission manufactured it. what may be the reason for this?

Thanks,

Vinu Varughese
Failure analysis - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

There are dozens or maybe hundreds of substances, particularly in a recycling plant, that may attack aluminum (organic and inorganic acids, alkalies, bacteria, etc.). Why only this truck? I see only two options. Either the metal of this particular transmission was different or it was the only one exposed to different conditions. Not very much help, uh?

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2004

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Electroless nickel plating would protect the aluminum. It is somewhat expensive compared to other plating, but worth it.

Don Baudrand
Consultant - Poulsbo, Washington
(Don is co-author of "Plating on Plastics" [on Amazon or AbeBooks affil links]
           and "Plating ABS Plastics" [on Amazon or eBay or AbeBooks affil links])
2004