With each passing day, we are realizing more how common this problem is and its negative effect on the bottom line to the die casting industry.

NADCA has a special Die Materials Committee (DMC) task force engaged in focused lab projects and field tests to assist in this endeavor.

Up until a few years ago, coatings offered the best solution to the soldering phenomena.  Unfortunately coatings collapse due to the failure of the substrate. Along with this has been the problem of getting the coating to adhere properly to the treated surface.

If there was only a way to overcome these shortcomings.  New technology from Australia may be the solution.

Just like ThermaLLife, the Qab process (as it is called) is done at a sub-critical temperatures so there is no danger of core softening or distortion to the treated material.  Various treatments can be provided that diffuse metallic elements of various composition i.e. Qab-chromium or Qab-titanium into the tool steel.

This solves the problem of adhesion and substrate failure that PVD coatings experience.

The Qab equipment incorporates a number of significant design changes to their equipment utilizing protective atmosphere transfer hoods to maintain surface integrity, computer  control, and special bed seals.

A press release on this new technology was issued January 21st 2002.

Solder Happens!  So how do you remove it effectively?  You can try polishing, but this also removes some of the tool steel.

Some use a caustic bath being careful not to leave it in solution so long that it also attacks the tool steel.

Another common way is to use NaOH but even this will not always clean all the solder that has formed on the surface.

This technology is NEW to the United States.  In Europe, though, most die cast shops have at least one of the FISA cleaning machines.

Call us if you have an interest in sending a heavily soldered tool to have cleaned by a FISA machine.

Then have us ThermaLLife it to protect the die for the future.