So I suspect i learned something yesterday. Fabricated/tig welded a pair of CM suspension arms. Had them post weld heat treated and shot peened. I like powder coating, bit felt a yellow zinc plating prior to powder coating might be the best long term solution, no pun intended. However solution plating in the harder materials has the potential downside of hydrogen embrittlement. The solution then is a prompt after plating 375F 4 hr minimum bake cycle to drive out the trapped hydrogen. One issue in my design, there was lapped gusset reifnorcement that could not by design be welded closed. I was certain it was going to trap liquid , whatever small amount.. My thinking was, with the added bake cycle, no liquid could survive, and it would not be an issue. I was wrong.

What I found out was, the bake cycle is not at the end, but more mid process, as later solution immersions trap later solutions, unbeknownst to me. So I mocked up the part, fitted it, put it on the shelf, for a month and two days ago inspected it and found leakage corrosion around the lapped metals, and then called the plater. and was told about the real sequence of the bake cycle.

Baking after final plating would "blow off" the plating.

Who knew? bawling

Last edited by jcc; 10/04/19 01:12 PM.
Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.