recommend a good corrosion lab

[bikermark]

Gentlemen:
We are a maker of a sporting goods product that has recently wound up in a salt water environment. It is a small reel that winds up cable as an alternative to laces on footwear. After prolonged exposure, the gears are seizing up. We have all kinds of materials present, stainless steel powder metal, aluminum, nickel plated zinc die castings.... We are looking for someone to analyze the failed parts. It is interesting that it doesn't look like any of the parts are corroded or pitted, there is just the presence of a large amount of whitish crystals and powder. It isn't salty. I don't know if it is just oxides of materials present in the water or whether there is some galvanic process going on to generate these materials. Their presence gets in the way of the gears and tends to cement the gears to the shafts. We need someone to look at these parts and help with recommendations.

 

[unclesyd]

I would give these people a call. If your problem falls outside their expetise they will point you in the right direction. I would make a personal contact.

http://www.hghouston.com/index.html

 

[bikermark]

Thank you. I will give them a call.
Mark

 

[EdStainless]

http://www.laque.com/

These guys have a lot of seawater experience.

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Corrosion never sleeps, but it can be managed.

http://www.trenttube.com/Trent/tech_form.htm

 

[bikermark]

Thank you Ed.

I already had hghouston do some preliminary work and got good results. I can see though from this website that these guys specialize in salt water. Perhaps I will try them next because we have more testing to do.

Thank you,
Mark