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Weld prep of stainless steel

2004

My name Is Jeff Ford and I work for an aerospace manufacturing firm which specializes in hot forming and super-plastic forming of titanium parts. However, we also manufacture some stainless steel parts, the area with which my question is concerned.

For certain parts we are using M152 stainless steel. The parts are hot formed using T50 lubricant, then sprayed with Anti-Splatter and laser cut. Prior to welding, we must remove scale and degrease. Currently we are grit blasting with aluminum oxide and/ or silica sand, then chemical cleaning using alkaline solution (Turco Vitroklene), and then polishing with a stainless steel wire brush. We have had limited success with a scale conditioner (calcium permanganate). We are doing all this in order to weld.

The problem with the blasting media is that they contaminate the part prior to weld and the extra cleaning and polishing to remove the contamination is time consuming. Currently I am looking for a single process which would produce a desirable result prior to welding.

Thank you.

Jeffery Ford
Aerospace manufacuring - Lansing, MI, United States

Try pickling s/s in commercial grade hydrofluoric & nitric acid solution. eletroletic cleaning in alkaline solution before hand is a consistent winner.

Dave Coleman
Electroplater/polisher - Gordonvale, Qld, Australia
2004