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How to weld electroless nickel plated steel?

2004

I want to weld a 1045 steel sprocket to a 1045 steel shaft. The shaft has been electroless nickel plated. The shaft's diameter is 1.25 in (31.75 mm). The sprocket's thickness is 5/16' (8 MM).

1. Is this doable?
2. What remains of the shaft's plating?
3. Would it make sense to electroless nickel plate the post-weld assy?

Dan Allen
eng - McKinney, Texas

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2004

Dan,

Short and sweet, yes it is doable to weld this (make sure your welders have very good ventilation..our great state of California has listed nickel as a carcinogen and there aren't too many better ways to expose yourself than welding fumes), The EN layer is probably very thin so I imagine you will get some burn-off on and around the weld. On the last question it all depends on what kind of corrosion resistance and appearance you are looking for.

Trent Kaufman
electroplater - Galva, Illinois

EN is considered difficult to weld for it "contaminates" the weld with phosphorous making it brittle. It would make much more sense, if possible, to plate the assy. afterwards.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2004

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Q. We are supplying EN plated (high phosphorous) parts to a customer. They are doing resistance welding on the parts. They see some percentage of the parts are getting blisters after welding. Please let me know why this problem occurs.

Prakash Subramanian
- Bangalore, India
November 19, 2012