Improved LHE Zn-Ni and Cd Plating Process

ABSTRACT: Landing gear platings, such as low hydrogen embrittlement (LHE) zinc nickel (ZnNi) and cadmium (Cd) are designed to protect the base material from the environmental effect of field use. Inherent to the electroplating process is the introduction of hydrogen into the high strength steel (HSS) aircraft component, which can cause hydrogen embrittlement (HE). Currently the plating processes are followed by hydrogen embrittlement (HE) relief bake for a minimum of 23 hours at 375 F +/-25 F.SBIR Phase I testing determined that it is feasible to reduce the bake time required to remove hydrogen absorbed during the electroplating processes from HSS landing gear components. Decreased bake times would result in significant reductions in OO-ALC overhaul workflow times, energy usage, depot process inventory, and new spares costs.Reduced processing time will lead to significant cost savings for the USAF and industry.In this Phase II SBIR effort, ES3 will demonstrate that bake time reduction will be viable for processing landing gear after electroplating operations. A sufficient amount of testing will be conducted to ensure that the reduction in process functions and performs to acceptable standards. Phase II testing will demonstrate the feasibility of HE bake reduction using various coupon geometries and test methods.Initial testing shall be conducted on coupons consisting of 4340 air melt steel to provide acceptable test points for additional material tests to verify hydrogen bake out.; BENEFIT: ES3 anticipates the results of Phase II project will validate the reduction of HE relief bake to approximately 8 hours. The reduction of required post plating HE relief bake times will provide DoD and aerospace industry with a faster and more reliable means of LHE Zn-Ni, Cd, chromium or nickel sulfamate plating HSS structural aircraft components.It also allows for significant man-hour savings, reduced process flow days and inventory cost avoidance.This process improvement will lead to a reduction of the following 1) production floor space, 2) energy consumption, 3) oven maintenance and 4) possible missed bakes which cause re-bakes.