Any Metallurgists here ?

Blanca BusaLess

Blanca BusaLess

Suffers from PBSD
Donating Member
Registered
I am curious what happens to aluminum parts when you bake them at temp needed to powder coat it.
I took the oem rear suspension links off the other day and when in my hand they felt like Popsicle sticks . Flimsy .
What happened to integrity of parts when they were baked at 400 degrees for an hour ?
Anything ?
At what temp does alum start to weaken ?

Are these parts in oem condition without powder coat prone to breakage as again they just seemed really flimsy in my hands . Can't believe these would have much if any stresses involved with them the way they felt .

Thanks
 
Little of nothing. Its more about how they are cooled vs how they are heated and for how long. I don't have any particular info on aluminum. Most stuff I've dealt with is carbon steel. I'd take a guess to say they were closer to being normalized than anything.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
You are NOT at a temperature that will cause annealing. Your aluminum will remain structurally intact and unharmed by powder coating.
 
Boeing recommends stress relieving AL at 375-425°f after welding 6061-T6. The higher temp (425°F) kills the mat'l and makes it more stable when finish tolerances are required to meet long term and repeatability standards.
The temps of powder coating should not be a problem and the processors will undoubtedly know this!
Just My 2 cts
Bubba
 
I was just curious in the sense that are there certain parts safe to PC and others you should not. The links seemed so 'weak' to begin with I was not sure if baking certain pieces may weaken them or not be recommended.

For my mental peace are there aftermarket links made from steel or titanium ?
Or are all the AM parts alum as well ?
I realize they are part of the susp but compared to other two bolts there how much stress or work do they links actually go thru ?
 
FWIW - My wheels have been media blasted and powder coated. No issues whatsoever.

Takes a lot more heat to melt aluminum...
 
Did not think it melted it but was just worried about exposure to high heat weakening it.
Was just curious what happened structurally or molecularly to alum when heated to PC heat and baked ?
 
Aluminum is a strange metal, which can produce strange alloy characteristics, the previous posted "6061-T6" is good, but who knows what "alloy" you have.

Parts of Japanese zeros used aluminum alloys, these parts are now "self disintegrating" after less than 100 years, an unstable alloy, even at room temps.

I remember when Aluminum 80 Scuba Tanks became popular in the late 70's, a few exploded after having a paint finish "baked on", I dont think those temps were all that high, but they seriously changed the performance of the alloy. As far as I know, the Aluminum 80 Scuba Tank alloy was never changed, it is ideal for the job needed, but asking that "same" alloy to be heat resistant may be too much "cake and eat it too" for this alloy.

Sorry more questions than answers, "some" aluminum "alloys" can be very sensitive to heat, or time.
 
Last edited:
I agree 100% with robot that aluminum alloys can be more or less tolerant dependant on the actual alloy. I assume that the links in question are OE links which I would also assume are not an inferior grade of aluminum alloy.

Robot said:
Aluminum is a strange metal, which can produce strange alloy characteristics, the previous posted "6061-T6" is good, but who knows what "alloy" you have.

Parts of Japanese zeros used aluminum alloys, these parts are now "self disintegrating" after less than 100 years, an unstable alloy, even at room temps.

I remember when Aluminum 80 Scuba Tanks became popular in the late 70's, a few exploded after having a paint finish "baked on", I dont think those temps were all that high, but they seriously changed the performance of the alloy.

Sorry more questions than answers, "some" aluminum "alloys" can have very sensitive to heat, or time.
Click to expand...
 
Couple of intelligent posts above. You need to know the composition of the aluminum alloy and then you need the "phase diagram" or phase transition diagram (as shown below) to really know what happens. I believe powder coating is relatively fast compared to most annealing processes.

The one below is for Aluminum and Copper. As you can see, weird things can happen for small quantities of copper even at low temps.

al_cuw.jpg
 
Last edited:
Oooof ask a question and Huh ?

Yes oem links. Like I said they just felt so flimsy that I wondered if things might weaken from the bake.
I think I'm baked cuz I dont understand Ajays diagram...:laugh:
maybe just me.

But thanks for the info guys.
Guess I'm safe, just made it mentally harder to grip it and rip it without being sure.
 
Blanca Busa said:
Oooof ask a question and Huh ?

Yes oem links. Like I said they just felt so flimsy that I wondered if things might weaken from the bake.
I think I'm baked cuz I dont understand Ajays diagram...:laugh:
maybe just me.

But thanks for the info guys.
Guess I'm safe, just made it mentally harder to grip it and rip it without being sure.
Click to expand...

Here is some definitions to AJAY's diagram,

ASM Alloy Phase Diagrams Center

Long story short, temperature can/will change the crystaline structure of the alloy, altering it's properties.
 
Years ago 60/40, tin/lead alloy solder was the standard for circuit boad construction. This ratio was later changed to 63/37. This small alloy percentage change made the solder "eutectic" the melting point went lower, but also became a point rather than a range.

Long story short, the solder is solid or liguid, it doesnt have this "gloopy" inbetween plasic state. Much easier to use.

If cold enough, long enough, most things become crystaline, the size and type of crystals vary characteristics.

A few years back I talked to a FDA investigator, he had just investigated a drug company that killed people with a commonly used prescription medicine, it had never killed before. The manufacturer changed companies delivering one component of the drug. The component was identical from an elemental perspective, but their preparation of the component changed the crystaline structure, altering it's chemical reactions, unfortunately fatal in humans. Same chemcals mixed together, one crystal form helps, one kills..............................
 
well for what its worth Suzuki powder coats their frames and swing arms and other pieces so it must not hurt the aluminum right???
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bajaboy169
Help Brake rotor powder coating
Replies
0
Views
736
bajaboy169
bajaboy169
powderpusher
Peg Mount Question
Replies
13
Views
727
powderpusher
powderpusher
Ball Z Motorsports
Anyone know powder color for limitted black??
Replies
7
Views
571
Ball Z Motorsports
Ball Z Motorsports
gtblades
Powder Coating
Replies
1
Views
1,023
BigBSBusa
BigBSBusa
gtblades
Powder Coating Aluminum Wheels
Replies
5
Views
4,009
Furball
Furball
Back
Top