Inspection Testing

Testing

Laboratory Facility & Testing Procedures

Trained personnel using Rotor Clip in-house laboratory facility carefully monitor each step of the manufacturing process. Incoming steel is carefully checked for adherence to chemical composition, dimensional requirements and responsiveness to heat-treating. Individual lots of rings are routinely inspected using detailed control plans. Rings are also checked for hardness, using Statistical Process Control (SPC) to ensure the effectiveness of the heat-treating process.

The laboratory is a fully equipped and capable of checking all phases of mechanical and metallurgical properties involved in the manufacture of retaining rings.

Salt Spray Tests

Random samples from retaining ring lots are routinely selected for salt spray evaluation. This test verifies the integrity of corrosion resistant coatings and ensures that rings will perform according to stated specifications. Rotor Clip retaining rings adhere to the acceptable standards for industry and government. For exceptional salt spray resistance, Rotor Clip retaining rings can be produced from PH 15-7 Mo stainless steel. For applications subject to sea air or sea water atmospheres, Beryllium Copper 25 alloy is available.

Temperature Limits

The effective, maximum operating temperatures for Rotor Clip retaining rings are listed in the chart below. Applications, which exceed these temperatures, will cause a lowering of the retaining rings Rockwell Hardness. This softening of the material results in lower tensile, rendering the rings less useful for a particular application.

Note: Temperature Limits for all types and sizes of beryllium copper retaining rings (Alloy#25, CDA#172) are 650°F to -300°F. Temperature limits for all types and sizes of stainless steel retaining rings (PH 15-7 Mo or equivalent; AISI 632-AMS 5520) are 900°F to -100°F.

How To Distinguish SAE 1060–1090 and PH 15–7 Mo Stainless Steel

If rings made from these two materials should be accidentally mixed, there are three simple procedures to distinguish one from another.

1. Clean a portion of a ring and drop a 20% nitric acid solution on it. If the ring is stainless steel, it will not be affected; if it is carbon spring steel, the color will become noticeably darker within 60 seconds.

2. Bring the ring in question into contact with a grinding wheel. If the carrier lines are curved and result in a solid burst, the ring is stainless steel; if the carrier lines are straight and result in an intense spark burst, the ring is carbon spring steel.

3. Sand a portion of the ring. Mix four grams of copper sulfate into a 10% sulfuric acid solution (H2SO4) Place a drop on the sanded area. If it is stainless steel, it will not be affected; if it is carbon spring steel, the ring will copper plate.