flaking
Flaking is the peeling away and chipping of a metal surface and is often due to internal flaws, residual stresses, or improper heat treatment. It is one of the very common surface defects witnessed on metals subject to repetitive stress, corrosion, or poor thermal treatments.
Key Features:
- Causative Agents: Flaking is mainly caused by hydrogen embrittlement, improper quenching, or poor alloy makeup during the making process.
- Surface Effect: The defect results in degradation of the metal surface quality, which goes ahead to further corrosion and mechanical abrasion.
- Insofar as industrial concern: flaking is a serious issue in industries such as automotive and aerospace, where performance and safety demand that the surface must be intact.
Flaking is an important matter in materials science and engineering, especially when high-performance metals are involved. By ensuring correct heat treatment, precise alloy composition, and inspection after processing, flaking can be avoided, hence giving longer service life and greater assurance to metal parts. This defect is closely monitored by railway, aerospace, and heavy machinery industries to ensure operational safety and product durability.