Dexter Axle Company Engineering Specification
Title ZINC PLATE Specification No. ES-1018
Written By Duane Belisle Page 1
Approved By Originating Date 3/25/93
1) PURPOSE
The purpose of this protective material standard is to provide a comprehensive specification
that will allow a cost-effective end product to be produced. Any Vendor suggestions to improve
product cost will always be evaluated. The standard is intended to supplement any and all
requirements currently specified on the applicable engineering detail drawing.
2) RESPONSIBILITY
The Director of Engineering is responsible to assure that this specification accurately reflects
the up-to-date material standard. The Director of Purchasing is responsible to assure that the
appropriate specification is forwarded to the vendor concerned. Plant managers are
responsible to assure that the specification is followed at the local level.
3) PROCEDURES
A) SCOPE
1) APPLICATION
This corrosion prevention treatment will typically be used for protecting a wide
variety of on-and-off highway trailer axle components such as internal and external
foundation brake parts fabricated from iron or steel materials. Typically, the brake
parts could be hand or machine assembled. The parts are usually subjected to high
and low temperatures, varying degrees of exposure to corrosion and environmental
damage. In addition, the parts are exposed to road debris and dirt from many
different sources.
b) PROPERTIES
This specification covers the electrolytic or non-electrolytic coating of cadmium or
zinc for the purposes of corrosion protection of iron or steel surfaces. Zinc may be
specified with chromate treatment, bright or black finish as outlined in ensuing
sections.
B) REQUIREMENTS
1) Thickness and Salt Spray Resistance: (ASTM B117)
Thickness Salt Spray
Exposure (Inches Min.) (Hr. Min.)
ES-1018-1 Severe .0005 96
ES-1018-2 Moderate .00035 48
ES-1018-3 Light .0002 32
ES-1018-4 Light .00015 24
Level Date Reason for Change ECN Writer Approval
E 02/06/07 Added section G) 4) thread gauge change testing 07-037 CEB
D 01/25/05 Corrected Chromate plating per ASTM B633 05-038 LK
C 12/13/04 Added note regarding chromate plating on zinc parts 04-292 LK
B 3/23/04 Convert into new format, add u-bolt baking paragraph 04-092 MKP
A 3/31/93 Release 93-119 DJB
Dexter Axle Company Engineering Specification
Title ZINC PLATE Specification No. ES-1018
Written By Duane Belisle Page 2
Approved By Originating Date 3/25/93
2) APPLICABILITY
The above requirements for both thickness and salt spray apply only to significant
surfaces. The specified plate thickness shall be required only on surfaces of parts
other than threads or holes, as can be touched by a sphere 0.5” in diameter unless
otherwise noted on drawings. On other surfaces such as those of holes, recesses,
threads, etc., where a controlled deposit cannot be obtained under normal plating
conditions, the above requirements do not apply. Acceptance or rejection of parts
submitted on this specification will be based on thickness and salt spray results on
significant surfaces.
3) SALT SPRAY EVALUATION
Parts shall pass salt spray requirements if the tested coatings have six or less red
spots totaling less than 3% of significant surface areas. In addition, no single red
rust spot can exceed 1% of the significant surface area.
4) COVERAGE
Where it is necessary that plate thickness and salt spray resistance requirements
be met in holes, recesses, threads, etc. Engineering Drawings will so specify.
1. Complete coverage is expected as normally obtained on properly
cleaned and pickled parts.
2. Plating or plating plus special finish must be a final operation (except
stress relieving).
C) METHOD
This specification is not intended to limit the formula, procedure of plating or surface
finish treatment on zinc, except as indicated below. Any process resulting in a
satisfactory adherent plate or surface treatment finish meeting the requirements
outlined herein will be approved. The chemical activator (surface conditioner) used in
the non-electrolytic process shall not be acid or otherwise be of such nature as to cause
hydrogen embrittlement of hardened steel parts.
D) CLEANING REQUIREMENTS
Carburized parts or other hardened parts with case depth are excess of .012”, cold
worked parts such as hard drawn spring wire parts, steel bolts having a Rockwell
Hardness of C27 and over. All other parts having hardness of Rockwell C32 and over
are considered susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. Any standard cleaning method
is acceptable providing the following restrictions are observed.
Level Date Reason for Change ECN Writer Approval
E 02/06/07 Added section G) 4) thread gauge change testing 07-037 CEB
D 01/25/05 Corrected Chromate plating per ASTM B633 05-038 LK
C 12/13/04 Added note regarding chromate plating on zinc parts 04-292 LK
B 3/23/04 Convert into new format, add u-bolt baking paragraph 04-092 MKP
A 3/31/93 Release 93-119 DJB
Dexter Axle Company Engineering Specification
Title ZINC PLATE Specification No. ES-1018
Written By Duane Belisle Page 3
Approved By Originating Date 3/25/93
1) Carburized parts must be stress relieved for one hour at 270°F minimum before
cleaning.
2) None of the parts mentioned above shall be cleaned by any acid solution unless
specifically approved.
E) HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT RELIEF
After plating, all of the above mentioned parts shall be heated to 375°F and held at this
temperature for a three hour minimum. This draw operation must be performed within
four hours (one hour preferred) after plating operation.
Any U-bolts that are electroplated shall be baked to relieve any potential hydrogen build
up during the plating operation.
F) SPECIAL FINISHES-PREVENTION OF WHITE CORROSION
C All Zinc plated parts receive a clear chromate treatment unless the Engineering
Drawings are marked otherwise:
Zinc Plate * plus chromate treatment
Zinc Plate * plus bright finish
Zinc Plate * plus black finish
Chromate treatment for zinc plated surfaces is a colored conversion coating; bright
finish for zinc plate surfaces is a clear colorless conversion coating; black finish is a
conversion coating where a black color is desired. The chromate and bright finish are
non-electrolytic, the black finish is electrolytic or non-electrolytic. The coating produced
in each case shall prevent formation of white zinc corrosion products for the following
periods of time when tested according to ASTM B117 Salt Spray Test Procedures.
D Zinc Clear Dichromate Yellow Dichromate
Against against against
Zinc Plate Red corrosion White corrosion White corrosion
ES-1018-1 96 hours 24 hours 96 hours
ES-1018-2 48 hours 24 hours 96 hours
ES-1018-3 32 hours 24 hours 96 hours
ES-1018-4 24 hours 24 hours 96 hours
Special finish shall not be used as a substitute for plate thickness. In all cases, plate
thickness requirements must be met on significant surfaces and salt spray resistance to
rusting as specified in I.A. must be maintained. Satisfactory parts shall not have a total
of more than six red or white corrosion spots. (Salt Spray hour requirements to
formation of red rust are not in addition to the hours to white corrosion products but run
concurrently).
Level Date Reason for Change ECN Writer Approval
E 02/06/07 Added section G) 4) thread gauge change testing 07-037 CEB
D 01/25/05 Corrected Chromate plating per ASTM B633 05-038 LK
C 12/13/04 Added note regarding chromate plating on zinc parts 04-292 LK
B 3/23/04 Convert into new format, add u-bolt baking paragraph 04-092 MKP
A 3/31/93 Release 93-119 DJB
Dexter Axle Company Engineering Specification
Title ZINC PLATE Specification No. ES-1018
Written By Duane Belisle Page 4
Approved By Originating Date 3/25/93
G) TEST METHODS
1) Thickness Test
The thickness of plating shall be determined by methods such as “magnet-gage”, by
electronic de-plating (Kocour Test) or by metallographic methods. In case of dispute
between a supplier and Dexter the umpire method shall be the metallographic method.
2) Salt Spray Test
This test shall be conducted according to ASTM B117 Standard of latest issue.
3) Visual Examination
Plated parts are subject to surface inspection for such imperfections as excessively
rough plated, incompletely covered area, etc. The testing of the quality of plate by salt
spray and/or determination of coating thickness will be done on pieces passing the
inspection.
E 4) Threaded Parts Class Gauge Test
Original thread class of 2A, must pass 3A class fit gauges after zinc plating.
Original thread class of 2B, must pass 3B class fit gauges after zinc plating.
H) CONTROL
1) All parts supplied to this material standard must be marked and/or tagged on the
shipping crates to show, material grade, size, quantity, and P.O. number. Only one
batch of material shall be shipped in the same lots of parts.
2) Corrosion resistance properties shall be determined by testing a minimum of 2
samples of the first shipment.
3) The supplier shall provide material for a minimum of six (6) sample parts that must
pass an engineering corrosion life test before production usage of this material may
begin. This is only as a precaution on the first article submission and not intended to
be the basis for ongoing production supply. After a supplier is approved, Dexter
Engineering reserves the right to pull and test samples on a random basis in order
to check uniformity of supply.
4) Any change to process, chemistry, properties, dimensional aspects or supplier must
have written Engineering Functional Approval prior to shipment of production
quantities.
Level Date Reason for Change ECN Writer Approval
E 02/06/07 Added section G) 4) thread gauge change testing 07-037 CEB
D 01/25/05 Corrected Chromate plating per ASTM B633 05-038 LK
C 12/13/04 Added note regarding chromate plating on zinc parts 04-292 LK
B 3/23/04 Convert into new format, add u-bolt baking paragraph 04-092 MKP
A 3/31/93 Release 93-119 DJB
Dexter Axle Company Engineering Specification
Title ZINC PLATE Specification No. ES-1018
Written By Duane Belisle Page 5
Approved By Originating Date 3/25/93
5) Plating supplier’s name and address must be submitted for approval by Dexter
Engineering for each First Article Inspection Report.
Level Date Reason for Change ECN Writer Approval
E 02/06/07 Added section G) 4) thread gauge change testing 07-037 CEB
D 01/25/05 Corrected Chromate plating per ASTM B633 05-038 LK
C 12/13/04 Added note regarding chromate plating on zinc parts 04-292 LK
B 3/23/04 Convert into new format, add u-bolt baking paragraph 04-092 MKP
A 3/31/93 Release 93-119 DJB
