Any metallurgical engineers?

[Meatwad]

The alloy: inconel 600

The goal: To make .250" thk 8"x 14' plates less "sticky".

Basically we need to make the plates more manageable in the material handling aspect. These plates are new and have replaced some ~25yr old versions. The older plates are very friendly in the material handling aspect (read: a ton less drag, slippery at any shop temperature range).

Some ideas that have been kicked around are either coating with boron nitride or stopyt 62a, but due to possible cross contamination with the actual material these plates are used for, these are least desired. Another is to simulate the horrible oxidation by annealing in an air atmosphere and quench repeatedly.
Upon a quick search, premature aging could be accomplished by changing the grain structure with cold rolling. But as I have little knowledge of rolling Cr and Fe alloys, am a bit apprehensive as the current form is pretty much what's required.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

[losikid]

Shrink wrap em till they are needed?

Or do they need to be less sticky when in use?

[tom@vp]

not sure what you mean by sticky.

like stacked plates are wringing together ?

[Die-Laughing]

From what I get out of it is.. The new plates don't allow objects to slide across them very easily or.. Not as easily as the old plates. They have a bit more friction (sticky) probably due to the material being "soft".

I'm not very familiar with that material. Is it anodizable? That would give a harder shell to the material simulating a more "slippery" end result.

Edit: I'm also not familiar with the anodizing process but, I would imagine it to be difficult to anodize something 14' long.

Maybe 25yrs ago, the plates were the same way but, after extended use the material became more slick. I don't know.

Give more details as to what the plates job is.. What else is involved. I'm not sure about cross contamination between different materials/chemicals but, maybe we can come up with a different idea/plan with the guys on here thinking outside the box. Maybe its good we dont have all the specifics. Give us a little at a time.

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by losikid

Shrink wrap em till they are needed?

Or do they need to be less sticky when in use?

Yes when in use.

Originally Posted by tom@vp

not sure what you mean by sticky.

like stacked plates are wringing together ?

Like friction sticky maybe is a better description. These plates are used as liners for brazing alloys being annealed in a furnace on a belt at slowish speed. After the anneal process the inconel plates along with material is moved for further processing and mill rolling. The extra drag and friction is unexpected along with highly undesirable.. Read: it sucks!

[tom@vp]

it is inconell, so anodize is nogo ...

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by Die-Laughing

From what I get out of it is.. The new plates don't allow objects to slide across them very easily or.. Not as easily as the old plates. They have a bit more friction (sticky) probably due to the material being "soft".

I'm not very familiar with that material. Is it anodizable? That would give a harder shell to the material simulating a more "slippery" end result.

Edit: I'm also not familiar with the anodizing process but, I would imagine it to be difficult to anodize something 14' long.

Maybe 25yrs ago, the

Exactly...

But will the anodizing survive at high-ish temps? 1300-1500f

[tom@vp]

where is the friction happening ?

inconell for low expansion ? are you working at aerojet ?

[losikid]

Well, feel free to ignore me, as i honestly don't know.

But i looked it up on Wikipedia, and it says it work hardens easily...could you just run it through a mill one pass to harden the surface? (which a harder surface would be slicker in my mind)

[Meatwad]

Friction is basically along its entire surface. During material handling from process to process, with various other alloys and similar alloys. At various temps as well, more so at higher temps as to be expected. The ambient temp friction is most troubling though.

No on the low expansion or aerojet.

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by losikid

Well, feel free to ignore me, as i honestly don't know.

But i looked it up on Wikipedia, and it says it work hardens easily...could you just run it through a mill one pass to harden the surface? (which a harder surface would be slicker in my mind)

I read the same thing and at this point in my mind is the best option. But I'm unsure of how to keep a nice form factor as it's pretty much perfect how it is. My familiarity is with softer non Fe alloys.

[tom@vp]

700 series is heat treatable, 600 has to be cold formed..

http://www.matweb.com/search/GetMatl...=INCONEL%C2%AE

[Mad4Rnr]

I'm sure you guys have already checked but is the surface roughness between the old and new plates comparable?

I've worked with inconel once on an implantable medical product. I bet .250 thick 8"x14' plates are not cheap by any means...

[Meatwad]

Sounds like a couple small bites on the big mill may be the ticket. Still skeered though heh

Thanks for the responses guys

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by Mad4Rnr

I'm sure you guys have already checked but is the surface roughness between the old and new plates comparable?

I've worked with inconel once on an implantable medical product. I bet .250 thick 8"x14' plates are not cheap by any means...

Surface is definitely rougher on the new stuff than the old stuff. Another reason I'm thinking a pass to flatten grain structure may help.

Indeed not cheap, the reason I'm skeered.

[tom@vp]

Originally Posted by Mad4Rnr

I'm sure you guys have already checked but is the surface roughness between the old and new plates comparable?

I've worked with inconel once on an implantable medical product. I bet .250 thick 8"x14' plates are not cheap by any means...

yea, them chunks cost a few bucks...

but id imagine they have to be rolled plate... dont think they cast that stuff in plate form...

i wonder if the old ones were 700 and heatreated ...

[bigstu]

Do you have a surface finish requirement for the inconnel?
You could media blast the surface to rough it up.
The smooth surface will "grab" the other materials. Putting some peaks and valleys in the material will reduce the contact patch and reduce the attractive forces..
Maybe that is why the old ones worked, the surface was very rough...

[Meatwad]

From staring at it for awhile it looks continous casted. Edges look similar, not rolled with shear marks at ends. And some long continous ridges consistent with worn dies in a con-caster.

[tom@vp]

Originally Posted by bigstu

Do you have a surface finish requirement for the inconnel?
You could media blast the surface to rough it up.
The smooth surface will "grab" the other materials. Putting some peaks and valleys in the material will reduce the contact patch and reduce the attractive forces..
Maybe that is why the old ones worked, the surface was very rough...

yea, im thinking the same

[bigstu]

You guys beat me to it. Hmmmmmmm.
Let me do some more searching.