Micropitting in Metal Refinishing

It really does not matter how well gears are designed and manufactured because gear corrosion or pitting can occur that may easily result in catastrophic failure. There is a very common failure mechanism of highly stressed case carburized gears which is known as is gray staining or micropitting. The standard FZG gear test is what is usually used to determine the micropitting load capacity of gear lubricants. Recently, FZG gear testing has demonstrated its usefulness for evaluating the effect of superfinishing on increasing a gear’s micropitting load capacity.

What’s worse is that micropitting may easily go undetected. Corrosion is rare and often very difficult to observe with normal visual inspection. There is pitting corrosion and intergranular attack (IGA). Sometimes superfinishing can mitigate the damaging effects of IGA and pitting corrosion, and suggests that the superfinishing process is a superior repair method for corrosion pitting versus the current practice of glass beading.

Research results have concluded that metal refinishing known as superfinishing is one of the most powerful technologies for significantly increasing the load carrying capacity of gear flanks. The Isotropic Superfinish (ISF) process is a unique patented process that generates a non directional low Ra surface. It employs mass finishing equipment in conjunction with accelerated refinement chemistries that are non-hazardous and environmentally friendly.

Basically the ISF process is a very unique and patented process generating a non directional low Ra surface. It employs mass finishing equipment in conjunction with accelerated refinement chemistries that are non-hazardous and environmentally friendly. ISF systems can be a robust solution for increased quality, volume, and reliability of metal finishing processes. Benefits to having an ISF metal refinishing surface includes the fact that it reduces friction and wear, improves corrosion resistance, and increases part durability. This process has proven applications in many industries including automotive, aerospace, medical, military, motorsports, off-highway and power generation, and motorsports, in addition to gearing and bearings.

There is a component commonly used in metal refinishing known as vibratory bowl finishing which can be used to superfinish the surfaces of complementary components to an isotropic finish when using nonabrasive, high-density media in conjunction with an isotropic superfinishing chemistry. This improved tactic reduces friction by increasing the energy and motion transfer efficiency in the metal-to-metal contact area.

There are benefits to USF metal refinishing services that include the fact that there is no capital investment, or added staffing, no waste management, and there is long term flexibility, technical support and a quick turn- around time. The benefits include cost saving and a significant decrease in wear resulting in longer component life, lower lubricant temperatures, increased fuel economy, and reduced operating costs.