MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY-I

UNIT III
SURFACE MODIFICATION
PROCESS
Subject: MEC 230-ManufacturingTechnology-I
Class: 4th Sem B.Tech-Mech c

Surface Modification process Introduction

Surface Modification is the process which modify the surfaces of
engineering components to improve their in-service performance,
useful working lifetimes, aesthetic appearance or economics of
production.

Objectives of Surface Treatments

After a part is manufactured, some of its surfaces may have to be
processed further in order to improve certain properties and
characteristics
It may be necessary to perform surface treatments in order to

Improve surface resistance to wear, erosion, and indentation

Improve surface resistance to corrosion and oxidation
Improve fatigue and impact resistance
Rebuild surfaces on worn components
Modify surface texture

Improve decorative features

Surface Treatments & Processing operations

1. Cleaning
- Chemical Cleaning
- Mechanical Cleaning and Surface Preparation
2. Surface Treatments & Processing
Mechanical surface treatment
Diffusion and Ion Implementation
Plating and Related Processes
Conversion Coatings
Physical Vapor Deposition
Chemical Vapor Deposition
Organic Coatings
Porcelain Enameling & Other Ceramic Coatings
Thermal and Mechanical Coating Processes

Cleaning
Parts must be cleaned chemically/mechanically many times to
remove films, oil, dirt and contaminants during production.
Reasons for cleaning.
Prepare the surface for subsequent processing (coating or
adhesive bonding)
Improve hygiene conditions for workers and customers
Remove contaminants that may react with the surface

Enhance appearance and performance of a product

Metal or Surface Cleaning

The key to successful finishes is a clean surface to assure good
adhesion of the surface treatment

A surface that is not clean may reduce the tendency for

adhesion
Cleanliness is generally essential for more effective application
of coating, painting, adhesive bonding, welding, brazing, and
soldering
Cleaning involves the removal of solid, semisolid, or liquid
contaminations from a surface
Cleaning is an important part of manufacturing operations and
the economics of production

Cleaning Processes
Basically there are four types of cleaning methods: Mechanical,
Chemical, Ultrasonic and Oxy-acetylene flame cleaning
I.

Mechanical Cleaning consists of physically disturbing the

contaminants,

Wire or fiber brushing

Abrasive blasting

Tumbling or steam jets

Many of these processes are particularly effective in removing rust, scale

and other solid contaminants

Chemical Cleaning Processes

II. Chemical Cleaning usually involves the removal of oil and
grease from surfaces. It consists of one or more of the
following :
a. Alkaline solutions: Which are a complex combination of
water-soluble chemicals

They are the least expensive and most widely used in

manufacturing operations
The concentration of soil on the surface is decreased by
surface-active elements in the cleaning solution
Small parts may be cleaned in rotating drums or barrels
Most parts are cleaned on continuous conveyors by spraying
them with the solution and rinsing them with water

Cleaning Fluids
b. Emulsions: which are generally consist of kerosene and oil in
water and various types of emulsifiers
c.

Solvents, which are typically petroleum solvents, chlorinated

hydrocarbons, and mineral spirits. They are generally used for
short runs; fire and toxicity are major hazards

d. Hot vapors of chlorinated solvents, which can be used to

remove oil, grease, and wax. The solvent is boiled in a container
and then condensed. The process is simple and the cleaned parts
are dry
e.

Various acids, salts, and organic compound mixtures, which

are effective in cleaning parts covered with heavy paste or oily
deposits and rust

Mechanical Surface Treatments and Coating

Several techniques are used to mechanically improve the
surface properties of finished components. The more common
methods are
a. Shot Peening

b. Water-jet Peening
c. Laser Peening
d. Roller Burnishing
e. Explosive Hardening
f. Cladding (Clad Bonding)

g. Mechanical Plating

Mechanical Surface Treatments

a. Shot Peening
In shoot peening the workpiece is hit repeatedly with a large
number of cast steel or ceramic shot (small ball) Which make
indentations on the surface
This action causes plastic surface deformation at depths up to
1.25 mm
Because of plastic deformation, shot peening causes
compressive residual stresses on the surface, thus improving
fatigue life of the components
This process is used extensively on shafts, gears, springs, oilwell drilling equipment, and jet-engine parts etc.

a. Shot Peening

Mechanical Surface Treatments

b. Water-jet Peening

This is relatively new process, a water jet at pressure as high

as 400 MPa impinges on the surface of the workpiece
This results in compressive residual stresses and surface &
subsurface hardening
The water-jet peening process has been used successfully on
steel and aluminum alloys
The control of process variables (jet pressure, jet velocity, and
the design of nozzle and its distance from the surface) is
important in order to avoid excessive surface roughness and
surface damage

Apparatus for ultrahigh pressure water jet peening

Mechanical Surface Treatments

c. LASER Peening

In Laser peening, the workpiece surface is subjected to laser

shocks from high-powered lasers
This surface treatment process produces compressive residual
stress layers that are typically 1.0 mm deep
Laser peening has been applied successfully to jet-engine fan
blades and materials such as titanium and nickel alloys
The basic limitation of this process for industrial, cost-effective
applications is the expense of high-power lasers

Mechanical Surface Treatments

d. Roller Burnishing

In roller burnishing, also called as surface rolling, the surface

of the component is cold-worked by hard and highly
polished balls or rollers
This process is used on flat, cylindrical or conical surfaces
Roller burnishing improves surface finish by removing
scratches, tool marks, and pits
Consequently, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties
and surface finish are improved
Internal cylindrical surfaces are burnished by a similar
process called ball burnishing

d. Roller Burnishing

Roller Burnishing

Mechanical Surface Treatments

e. Explosive Hardening

In this method, the surface is subjected to high transient

pressure through the placement and detonation of a layer
of explosive sheet directly on the workpiece surface
The contact pressures that develop can be as high as 35
GPa
Major increases in surface hardness can be effected by this
method with very little change in the shape of the
component
Railroad rail surfaces can be hardened by this method

e. Explosive Hardening

Railroad rail surfaces can be hardened by Explosive Hardening

Mechanical Surface Treatments

f. Cladding (Clad Bonding)
In this method, the metals are bonded with a thin layer of
corrosion-resistant metal through the application of
pressure, using rolls or other means
A typical application is cladding of Aluminum, in which a
corrosion-resistant layer of aluminum alloy is clad over
aluminum alloy body usually in sheet or tubular form
Example: Al2024 clad with Al1230

Example: Al3003, 6061 & 7178 clad with 7072

Other applications are steels clad with stainless steel or
nickel alloys

f. Cladding (Clad Bonding)

Mechanical Surface Treatments

g. Mechanical Plating
Mechanical plating is also known as mechanical coating or
impact plating or peen plating
In this process fine metal particles are compacted over the
workpiece surface

The process is used typically for hardened steel parts for

automobile, with plating thickness usually less than 0.025 mm

Case Hardening and Hard Facing

Surfaces may be hardened by thermal means in order to

Improve frictional and wear properties

Resistance to Indentation, Erosion, Abrasion and Corrosion
The most common methods are
Case Hardening
Hard Facing

Case Hardening and Hard Facing

Case Hardening

The traditional methods of Case Hardening are

Carburizing
Carbonitriding
Cyaniding
Nitriding
Flame Hardening
Induction Hardening

The common heat sources are Gas or Electricity

A laser beam can be used as a heat source in surface hardening of

both metals and ceramics

The formation of martensite causes compressive residual stresses

on surfaces

Such stresses are desirable, because they improve the fatigue life

Case Hardening and Hard Facing

Hard Facing
In hard facing, a thick layer of wear-resistance hard metal is
deposited on the surface using any of the welding techniques
Hard coatings of tungsten carbide, chromium & molybdenum
carbides can be deposited using an electric arc
Hard-facing alloys can be used as electrodes, rods, wire, or
powder
Typical applications include valve seats, oil-well drilling tools,
and dies for hot metal working
Worn parts are also hard-faced for extended use

Surface Coatings
Diffusion Coating

Diffusion Coating is a process in which an alloying element is diffused

into the surface of the substrate, thus altering the properties

The alloying elements can be supplied in solid, liquid or gaseous states

This process has different names, depending on the diffused element

Electroplating, Electroless plating and Electroforming

Plating as with other coating processes,

Imparts the properties of resistance to wear and corrosion

High electrical conductivity

Better appearance and reflectivity

Surface Coatings
Electroplating

In electroplating, the workpiece (cathode) is plated with a different

metal (anode), while both are suspended in a bath containing a
water-based electrolyte solution

Although the plating process involves a number of reactions,

basically the process consists of the following

1.

The metal ions from the anode are discharged using potential
energy from the external source of electricity

2.

The metal ions combine with the ions in the solution and

3.

They are deposited on the cathode

Chemical cleaning, degreasing and thorough soaking of the

workpiece prior to the plating are essential

All the metals can be electroplated

Electroplating

Surface Coatings
Electroplating

Electroplate thickness range from a few atomic layers to a

maximum of about 0.05 mm

Complex shapes may have varying plating thickness

Chromium, nickel, cadmium, copper, zinc and tin are

common plating materials

Chromium Plating is done by plating the metal first with

copper, then with nickel and finally with chromium

Hard Chromium Plating is done directly on the base metal

and results in a hardness of up to 70 HRC

This method is used to improve the resistance to wear and

corrosion of tools, valve stems, hydraulic shafts, diesel and
aircraft engine cylinder liners and used to rebuild worn parts

Surface Coatings
Electroless Plating
Electroless plating is done by chemical reaction and
without the use of an external source of electricity
The most common application utilize nickel and copper
In electroless plating, nickel chloride (a metallic salt) is
reduced, using sodium hypophosphite as the reducing agent
to nickel metal, which is then deposited on the workpiece
The hardness of the nickel plating ranges 425 HV and 575
HV and can be subsequently heat-treated to 1000 HV
The coating has excellent wear and corrosion resistance
Cavities, recesses and the inner surfaces of the tubes can be
plated successfully

Electroless Plating

Surface Coatings
Electroless Plating
Electroless plating
process can also be used with
nonconductive materials, like, plastics and ceramics
Electroless plating is more expensive than electroplating
However the coating thickness of electroless plating is
always uniform

Surface Coatings
Electroforming
A variation of electroplating is electroforming, which is
actually is a metal fabrication process
Metal is electrodeposited on a mandrel (also known as mold
or matrix), which is then removed; thus the coating itself
becomes the product
Both simple and complex shapes can be produced by
electroforming, with a wall thickness as small as 0.025 mm

Production rates can be increased through the use of multiple

mandrels

Surface Coatings
Electroforming

Mandrels are made from a variety of materials: Metallic or nonmetallic (which can be made electrically conductive with the
proper coatings)

Mandrels should
electroformed part

They may also be made of low melting alloys, wax or plastics,

which can be melted away or dissolved with suitable chemicals

The electroforming process is particularly suitable for low

production quantities or intricate parts (such as molds, dies,
nozzles etc.) made of nickel, copper, gold and sliver

It is also suitable for aerospace, electronics and electro-optics

applications

be

removed

without

damaging

the

Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)

Family of processes in which a material is converted to its
vapor phase in a vacuum chamber and condensed onto
substrate surface as a very thin film
Coating materials: metals, alloys, ceramics and other
inorganic compounds, even some polymers
Substrates: metals, glass, and plastics

Very versatile coating technology

- Applicable to an almost unlimited combination of coatings and
substrate materials

Processing Steps in PVD

All physical vapor deposition processes consist of the
following steps:
1. Synthesis of coating vapor
2. Vapor transport to substrate
3. Condensation of vapors onto substrate surface
These steps are generally carried out in a vacuum chamber, so

evacuation of the chamber must precede PVD process

Physical Vapor Deposition

Setup for vacuum evaporation, one form of PVD, showing vacuum
chamber and other process components

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

Involves chemical reactions between a mixture of gases and the heated
substrate, depositing a solid film on the substrate
Reaction product nucleates and grows on substrate surface to form the coating
Most CVD reactions require heat

Application of CVD
Industrial metallurgical processes (Mond process for
reducing nickel from its ore)
Coated carbide tools, Solar cells, Refractory metals on jet
engine turbine blades
Integrated circuit fabrication
Other applications for resistance to wear, corrosion,
erosion, and thermal shock

Ion implantation
Embedding atoms of one (or more) foreign element(s) into a
substrate surface using a high-energy beam of ionized particles
Results in alteration of the chemistry and physical properties of
layers near the substrate surface
Produces a much thinner altered layer and different
concentration profile than diffusion
Alternative to diffusion when the latter is not feasible due to

high temperatures required

Ion implantation

Surface Coatings
Anodizing

Anodizing is an oxidation process (anodic oxidation) in which

the workpiece surfaces are converted to a hard and porous
oxide layer that provides corrosion resistance and
decorative finish

The workpiece is the anode in an electrolytic cell immersed

in an acid bath, which results in chemical absorption of
oxygen from the bath

Applications for anodizing are aluminum furniture and

utensils, architectural shapes, automobile components, picture
frames, keys and sporting goods

Anodizing surfaces also serve as a good base for painting,

especially on aluminum, which otherwise is difficult to paint

Anodizing Process Diagram

Surface Coatings
Conversion Coatings
Conversion coating, also known as chemical reaction
priming, is the process of producing a coating that forms on
metal surfaces as a result of chemical or electrochemical
reactions
Various metals, particularly steel, aluminum, and zinc can be
conversion-coated
Oxides that naturally form on the surfaces are a form of
conversion coating
Phosphates, chromates and oxalates are used to produce these
coatings
An important application of conversion coating of workpieces
to serve as lubricant carriers in cold forming operations

Surface Coatings
Conversion Coatings

The two common methods of coating are immersion & spraying

The equipment required depends on the method of application, the

type of product, and quality considerations

Coloring involves processes that alter the color of metals, alloys

and ceramics

It is caused by the conversion of surfaces (by chemical,

electrochemical or thermal processes) into chemical compounds
such as oxides, chromates and phosphates

Ex. Blackening of iron and steels, a process that utilizes solutions

of hot caustic soda and results in chemical reactions that produce
a black oxide film on surfaces

Surface Coatings
Conversion Coatings
Conversion coatings are used for corrosion protection,
increased surface hardness, to add decorative color
Conversion coatings may be very thin in the order of
0.00001"
Thick coatings up to 0.002" are usually built up on
aluminium alloys

Chromate coating is a type of conversion coating

applied to aluminium, zinc, cadmium, copper, silver,
magnesium, tin, and their alloys to resist corrosion

Surface Coatings
Hot Dipping
In hot dipping , the workpiece is dipped into a bath of
molten metal, such as zinc, tin, aluminum etc.
Hot dipped coatings on plates provide long-term
corrosion resistance to pipe, plumbing supplies and many
other products

Bath of molten metal (Galvanizing)

Hot Dipping

Surface Coatings
Hot Dipping : A continuous hot-dipped galvanizing line
for sheet metal is shown in figure

Surface Coatings
Hot Dipping :
The rolled sheet is cleaned first electrolytically and
scrubbed by brushing
The sheet is then annealed in a continuous furnace with
controlled atmosphere and temperature & dipped in
molten zinc at about 450 C
The thickness of the zinc coating is controlled by a wiping
action
Service life depends on the thickness of the zinc coating
and the environment to which it is exposed

Ceramic Coatings

Ceramic Coatings, such as aluminum oxide or zirconium oxide,

are applied at room temperature, using binders to the substrate

Ceramic coatings act as a thermal barriers and have been applied

to hot extrusion dies, turbine blades, and diesel engine
components, to extend the life of the parts

Certain characteristics such as wear resistance and thermal and

electrical insulation can be imparted through ceramic coatings

Selecting materials with such properties can be expensive and

may not meet the structural strength requirements in a
particular application

Diamond Coatings
Diamond is generally synthesized in high pressure & high
temperature conditions
It is possible to obtain high quality diamond film by
chemical vapour deposition (CVD) from a carbon &
hydrogen gas mixture
The substrate surface must be treated before deposition

CVD is a chemical process for depositing thin films of

Diamond
In a typical CVD process the substrate is exposed to
volatile precursors, which react and decompose on the
substrate surface to produce the diamond deposit
Frequently, volatile by-products are also produced, which
are removed by gas flow through the reaction chamber

Diamond Coatings
Properties of diamond coated products are:
Reduce friction
High hardness and Reduce wear
Are made from graphite and energy

Are made without toxic by-products or harmful waste

Can be deposited on almost anything that can be put in a
vacuum

Are certified for use in food processing

Diamond coatings make items last forever (almost)
Transparency to ultraviolet light