Common Agricultural Equipment Corrosion Problems
If you are in the agricultural industry, or are associated with someone who is, you may already know that corrosion and rust constantly affect ranch and farming property and machinery. It’s a problem that must be addressed if you are to be successful in the business. But the manner in which agricultural equipment corrosion problems occur comes in many forms. One must consider their unique needs in order to tailor a solution for any agricultural equipment.
Cavity Corrosion And Pitting
Most of us are familiar with what corrosion is in general, but here are some specifics:
Cavity corrosion and pitting form on steel that is unprotected. In the pits, rust forms and breaks down metal. This deteriorates both the strength and the thickness of the metal. In two ways, it creates damage: wide and shallow or narrow and deep. On ranches and farms, structures will eventually weaken due to this damage. This can cause key components in equipment and machinery to fail, break, and crack.
On a metal adjacent to an element that is nonmetallic, or between two metals, crevice corrosion can occur. In confined spaces, this type of corrosion/rust occurs – i.e., the gap between a bolt and nut. This can be extremely dangerous because crevice corrosion is hard to see. In automated mechanical equipment and metal structures, it can go undetected until it’s too late.
Rust Is Rust – Right?
Wrong! When it comes to rust, there are many types. We’re going to explore just a handful here:
- Black rust – Caused by low moisture and oxidation. Shed-stored equipment and tools with limited available oxygen are prime examples of metals affected by this rust.
- Brown rust – Caused by the combination of low moisture and high oxygen. Alternately it can be contamination-caused during different stages of manufacturing such as machining, treating, fabrication, and cleaning.
- Yellow rust – Can form on metal equipment in recessed areas that may retain rainwater. It appears to run and drip and is caused by puddling.
- Red rust – Caused when metal is exposed to salt and moisture. Can appear on metal equipment such as tractors, spreaders, skid steers, wheel loaders. It also can appear near faucets.
How to Protect Agricultural Equipment
It can seem a daunting task, indeed, trying to protect all of the equipment on your ranch or farm against rust and its causes. By engaging in regular maintenance and utilizing prevention solutions, however, you can keep your metals safe from corrosion. To battle rust and prevent corrosion, there are numerous protective coatings available which can be applied through a thermal spray process.
Whether you are involved in agriculture on a large or small scale, rust and corrosion problems can derail your operation and sideline expensive equipment. No one can afford to take that kind of chance. Protect your metal surfaces with a thermal sprayed anti-corrosion coating.
Let A&A Coatings Devise a Solution That Caters to Your Agricultural Equipment Corrosion Problems
Our research and development department is constantly working toward improved and technologically advanced solutions to the problem of corrosion. This is in reference, of course, to not only agricultural equipment but equipment all over the world and used in every industry. From agriculture to aerospace and from wind energy to textile manufacturing (and everything in between and beyond), we are and have been involved in the protection of multiple surfaces. If you’d like to enquire as to how A&A Coatings can help with protection against corrosion on your agricultural equipment, contact us today.
