January 29, 2019
Source: ASM International

Supersonic Spray Technologies, a division of Centerline, Windsor, Ontario, announces that its engineers have restored an aluminum casting oil pan on a 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta with its cold spray technology. RX Autoworks, a classic car restoration company, contacted SST for assistance in restoring the oil pan. The SST job shop team prepped the parts and applied cold spray to repair the damage, restoring the original oil pan to full mechanical functionality and aesthetically to its original appearance. This enabled RX Autoworks to salvage and restore the irreplaceable oil pan almost back to its original state. (Photo shows the untreated oil pan above, finished oil pan below.)

 

Wear/tear and corrosion over the years had a severe impact on the aesthetics and functionality of the oil pan. There were visible cracks on the inside that were causing leaks. The outside of the pan did not look aesthetically pleasing. Replacing components on vintage vehicles is undoubtedly not an option as they are long out of production. Additionally, aluminum casting alloys used to fabricate components like this are heat treated and are sensitive to procedures such as welding or conventional thermal spray techniques. Therefore, selecting a repair technique that did not compromise the integrity of this one-of-a-kind component was paramount.

 

The SST cold spray process enables metal consolidation that can dimensionally restore heat-sensitive components with minimal or no thermal effects. Therefore, SST manual cold spray technology, operating at low pressures and temperatures, was considered a reliable and effective solution for this challenge.

 

https://www.supersonicspray.com/support/news-notices/archive/2019/1

Subject Classifications

Industries and Applications | Automobiles and Ground Transportation

Materials Processing and Treatment | Coating

Materials Processing and Treatment | Powder Metallurgy

Materials Processing and Treatment | Surface Engineering

Materials Processing and Treatment | Thermal Spray Technology

Metals and Alloys | Aluminum