Why Nickel Alloy Cladding for Steel Equipment
Chemical processing, oil and gas, and power generation industries need equipment that withstands both high mechanical loads and aggressive corrosive environments. Solid nickel alloy is prohibitively expensive for large vessels. Nickel alloy cladding solves this by bonding a thin corrosion-resistant layer to structural steel at a fraction of the cost.
Weld Overlay Cladding
Process Variants
GTAW (TIG): Lowest dilution (2-5%), highest quality, 1-3 kg/hr deposition. GMAW (MIG): Higher rate (5-15 kg/hr), moderate dilution (5-15%). SAW with strip electrode: 15-60 kg/hr. PTA (Plasma Transferred Arc): 5-20 kg/hr, 5-10% dilution.
Common Overlay Alloys
Inconel 625 (ERNiCrMo-3): Most widely specified for general corrosion resistance. Inconel 825: Sulfuric and phosphoric acid resistance. Hastelloy C-276: Superior reducing acid resistance. Alloy 20: Sulfuric acid specialist.
Explosive Cladding
Uses controlled detonation to bond nickel alloy plate to steel. Zero dilution, thickness 1.5-25mm, plate sizes up to 5m x 15m. Ideal for one-off or small-batch production.
Roll Bonding
Hot-rolling nickel alloy sheet in contact with steel slab. Cladding ratio 10-30%. Most economical for large-volume standard products per ASTM A264/A265.
Thermal Spray
HVOF achieves 600-900 m/s particle velocity. Coating thickness 0.25-5mm. Can be applied in-situ without disassembly.
Quality Assurance
Bond strength testing per ASTM A264/A265: min 140 MPa shear, 210 MPa tensile. NDE includes PT and UT. Chemical verification using XRF.
CoreMetal Steel provides nickel alloy welding consumables, pre-clad plate, and technical consultation for your cladding needs.