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WHAT IS THE METALOCK® METHOD?
METALOCK® method is used for cold repairs to cast iron/cast steel and non-weldable
metals.
This method is based on limitation and locking of cast cracks, as well as
reconditioning of damaged casts. A crack in a cast iron component is locked
using a key which takes up both tensile and compressive stresses. Screws called
METALACE are driven in along the crack in order to take up shear stresses. This
is a cold repair process, superior to welding in the case of crack sensitive
materials.
HISTORY OF METALOCK® METHOD
METALOCK® originated in the oil fields of Texas in the mid 1930's to overcome the
explosive potential of welding repairs. Therefore a system was developed which
eliminated heat, and had many ancillary advantages, including the elimination of
distortion, which in turn obviated the necessity of re-machining in the great
majority of cases. Subsequent development by the U.S.A. defense forces during
World War II were responsible for the spread of this technology and its
acceptance in the heavy industries, especially marine.
Further development in the 1950's lead to the establishment of the Metalock
International Association. The Association has now grown into a unique organization
operating in 80 countries throughout the world. Conferences are
held once a year in various parts of the world, and these enable members to
update techniques and extend the services offered.
APPLICATION OF THE METALOCK®
METHOD
All sectors of industry are served by the Metalock® repair method of repairing
castings...
- Marine
- Metal
- Manufacturing
- Oil Refining / Petro – Chemicals
- Power
- Automotive
- Railways
- Pressing and Forging
- Pulp and Paper
- Mineral Processing / Cement
- Offshore
- Process Industry
- and all other industrial ranges, where exist casts in both machinery and
equipment
Thanks to the METALOCK® method in Marine Industry, lots of expenses have been
saved for ship owners by reducing time lost due to breakdowns.
In many of Heavy Industries, where machines and equipment are required to work
without any delay, applying of METALOCK® method helps in avoiding huge loss of
time and cost. Repairs are usually completed on-site, avoiding dismounting of the damaged
equipment from its working position.
MATERIAL USED IN METALOCK®
PROCESS
The material used in the METALOCK® process is a Nickel Alloy. The advantages this
material has is its ductility in the annealed condition, giving reasonable
tensile strength when work hardened, a low rate of strain hardening and a very
low coefficient of thermal expansion, similar to cast iron. Corrosion resistance
is a little greater than steel or cast iron and these qualities make it an ideal
material for most repairs.
SOME ADVANTAGES OF THE REPAIR BY THE METALOCK®
METHOD
- Work can be, and usually is, done on site, with usually a very great
saving in time and dismantling.
- Maintains the original surfaces.
- Dampens and absorbs compression stresses and spreads tensile
stresses in the cast.
- Distributes the load away from fatigue points.
- Reduces the internal stress values to minimum, where these
were the cause of the fracture, or the partial cause.
- Provides a low co-efficient of linear and thermal expansion
of the repaired metal.
- The repair being completely cold (under the temperatures of
metal phase transformations) does not require the application of heat which
could, and often does introduce new stresses.
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