FAILURES Involving Washers

Lock washers are made from medium carbon steel (1055-1065), heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of up to C45. They used to be as high as 51 Rc but were lowered in the mid-1990s. Originally, they were electroplated. However, their high hardness made them very susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. Th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American Fastener Journal 2024-09, Vol.40 (5), p.18-21
Main Author: Avellon, Guy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Failure analysis
Fasteners
Handbooks
Heat treatment
Hydrogen embrittlement
Load
Medium carbon steels
Metal fatigue
Preventive maintenance
Rockwell hardness
Steel
Washers & dryers
Zinc plating
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Summary:Lock washers are made from medium carbon steel (1055-1065), heat treated to a Rockwell hardness of up to C45. They used to be as high as 51 Rc but were lowered in the mid-1990s. Originally, they were electroplated. However, their high hardness made them very susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. The current trend is to have the lock washers mechanically zinc plated to minimize the potential for hydrogen embrittlement. Here, Avellon discusses how lock washers work.
ISSN:1064-3834