carbon steel with nickel chrome ball for seawater fluid?

[KhooWL]

i have trouble with a client insisting to have ball valves's ball in carbon steel with nickel chrome plating, instead of standard 316 ball for seawater as fluid.

·Operational liquid: Normal sea water
·Operational temperature: 20-35 deg C
·Operational pressure: 7- 8 bar Max.

please help

 

[KKeong]

What is the size of the valve? I assume body material is carbon steel with cladding of some sort? Stem/seat already in 316 as per datasheet?

 

[KhooWL]

yea, our standard ball valves is:
Body - WCB
Trim - 316

they are looking for 1/2",1",2",4" and 6". Qty less than 30Pcs total combine.
i told him, 316 is made up of 16Chrome-12Nickel-2Moly, but he insist of using carbon steel with nickel chrome plating.

I seriously dont understand why, i asked them is it the cost issue?
From our view as a manufacturer, making afew pieces with carbon steel+ nickel chrome plating will be more expensive.

He did not tell me any reason, i also wish to help him.

Just wonder any expert know why? or i am just wasting my time with a client that dont understand anything?

Client : from a well known shipyard.

 

[KhooWL]

Anyway, KKeong bro. are you from SG?

 

[KKeong]

Did you consider the hard wearing properties of a nickel chrome plated carbon steel ball compared to plain SS 316?

Either way, it is always best not to deviate from customer datasheet unless it is a ridiculous request because as a valve vendor you will never know fully all considerations by the client. The person you are dealing with may not know it as well as he could just be the procurement guy inheriting the datasheet.

Cost impact shall either be mentioned up-front during quotation stage or presented as a cost impact if it is a change request by customer.