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Compressive Stress benefits of applying |
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Here are some facts regarding MetaLL ifeÒ that should answer common questions relating to our compression surface treatment. MetaLL ifeÒ is unique in that it is the only surface treatment capable that is performed at room ambient conditions so there is not compromise of the initial heat treatment. It is available since 1983, only from Badger Metal Tech, Inc. in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Our certificate of compliance assures your satisfaction. Make sure you request this when placing your order. |
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Questions/Topic |
Response |
| Coatings and Diffusion Do I need to do anything else to my tooling? What about coatings, platings, and diffusion processes? Is it important to prepare the substrate before a coating is applied. |
MetaLL ifeÒ, by itself, provides excellent protection against fatigue, galling, and pickup. It also improves metal flow characteristics. If so desired, MetaLL ifeÒ can be subsequently coated or treated with other processes including our TherMaLLifeÒ process. We caution against the use of any subsequent treatment that involves the use of an extended high heat (1800-1900 degrees F) condition. X-ray diffraction tests show no degradation of the compressive stress benefits when Balzers coatings such as the popular Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAlN - Futura Nano) are applied over our processes. Prior to applying a coating, it is extremely important to protect against substrate failure of the tool which will also cause the coating to fail. Compressive stress with MetaLL ifeÒ or TherMaLLifeÒ is an excellent way of doing this. It also cleans the tool so that the coating is not compromised by undesirable foreign elements. We have also tested our ferritic nitro carburizing process (TherMaLL ifeÒ) and found it to combine well with the MetaLL ifeÒ process. See our coupon sampling for more details. So there are a lot of choices. Return to top |
| Applying to New tooling I know MetaLL ifeÒ provides benefits when done to old tooling. Will I see benefits if I apply it to my new tools? |
This is actually the preferred method. A good proactive Preventive Maintenance program for new tooling is applying
MetaLL ifeÒ after final sample approval and then repeating at determined
times during the life of the tool. It has been proven by X-ray diffraction and micro analysis
that small cracks from residual tensile stress develop even after only a few hundred
cycles. It is important to prevent these cracks and convert these stresses
to compression prior to running the tool for production purposes.
As for draw form tooling, anytime you can improve
the retention of lubricant to the surface, you are going to get more parts
without galling or pickup prematurely occurring. |
| Topography v/s Drag Won't the surface topography cause the tool to drag? |
Usually the draft angle on draw form tooling is great enough that this is not a problem. Since Metallife is not a coating but an actual surface change to the steel itself, it can be polished lightly with emery if you do notice some drag conditions.
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| Thermal Transfer Won't the topography decrease my thermal transfer coefficient by causing excessive lube build-up on the tool? |
Tests at The Ohio State University performed through NADCA have proven that topography actually increases the thermal transfer rate. The increased surface area resulting from the micro topography allows for increased heat dissipation at the die's surface. Increased heat dissipation translates to longer tool life. Return to top |
| Stress Relieving Methods Is MetaLL ifeÒ similar or the same as processes that are advertised to relieve stresses using vibration or other mechanical means? |
No!
MetaLL ifeÒ is a proprietary process that is designed to induce
beneficial compressive stresses rather than relieve them. The stresses we induce are compressive
(beneficial) as opposed to tensile (destructive). Other processes that advertise "relieving" do just that but do not generate the necessary
compressive stress values that protect tooling from failure. An examination of
these processes
X-ray diffraction curves will attest to this. Return to top |
| Welded Areas My die has been welded in certain areas, will this be detrimental to the MetaLL ifeÒ application?
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Quite to the contrary. MetaLL ifeÒ is an excellent method for checking the integrity of welded areas of dies. Not only does it induce a high level of compression, but it also relieves any stresses in the heat affected zone. If there is porosity in the weld, MetaLL ifeÒ will expose these areas which can save a tremendous amount of additional downtime to fix these hidden flaws in the welded area. Because the welded areas are sometimes inherently harder than the virgin metal, there could be a difference in the topography of the virgin to welded area. Return to top |
| My die has been nitrided.
How will this affect the application of
MetaLL ifeÒ?
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MetaLL ifeÒ will still induce high levels of compression, however, which will counter any tendency the die has to prematurely fatigue. Return to top |
| Does the processing with MetaLL ifeÒ to NEW or USED tooling cause dimensional changes that would cause unacceptable out of spec parts? |
MetaLL ifeÒ and TherMaLLifeÒ do not affect Cold Work Steel die tolerances or dimensions. Our process is not a coating or plating that causes dimensional growth changes to tooling. Return to top |
