Rust Removal and Prevention of 4130 Chromoly Tubes
- Tommy Tran
Rust will occur on the surfaces of metals and must be removed for multiple reasons. Rust can impair material performance as it is a process that gradually removes material from the part. Rust also interferes with the welding process which is a critical stage in manufacturing the Chassis and the solar car as a whole.
Rust can be removed using sand paper. The coarser the grit, the faster the rust is removed, but the deeper the scratches are. For metal furniture or fixtures that you plan to repaint, you shouldn’t use sand paper coarser than 150 grit. For a car or metal appliance for painting, the lowest limit for sandpaper grit should be 220. (1)
Rust can be prevented by: (2) is worth a read
Using rust resistant alloys
Design considerations
Galvanization
Bluing
Organic coating
Powder coating
Regular maintenance
For the 4130 Chromoly tubes, we are considering using: (2)
Organic coating
E.g. paint
Forms a barrier to prevent penetration of water and oxygen. Typical organic coatings are 15 to 25 micrometers thick
Powder coating
First, apply dry powder onto the surface. Then, heat the object to turn the powder into a thin film.
The powder is often applied using an electrostatic spray process where the object is electrically conducted while a charged, non-conducting powder is sprayed onto it. The object is layer placed into a hot oven.
Regular Maintenance
Sanding down rust whenever it forms
References:
(1) https://homeguides.sfgate.com/sandpaper-grit-rust-removal-93310.html