Full Transcript:

What’s up guys? Michael with Michael Talks Metal back for episode 147! Today we’re going to introduce you to clad metals.  You may not know it but there are clad metals around us every day.  Lets define clad as where two or more alloys are bonded together to provide improved performance at reduced cost. We want to take advantage of the properties each component metal contributes to the combination in a cost effective way.

One example is almost any coin in your pocket or purse.  All current US coins except the nickel are clad.  Or for those of you that only pay by way of electrons, check in some desk drawer or jar for a stash of coins.

{insert finding coin and show layers at edge}

Here the issue is cost of manufacture. Coins have intricately detailed engraved portraiture and need to have a long lifetime. Core material used is zinc for the Penny with copper clad. Dimes, Quarters, and Half Dollars are made with a copper core and a nickel alloy clad.

Even using a lower cost core, a penny costs more than twice its face value to produce at the mint.

Another example is found in the kitchen where stainless steel clad pots and pans are considered premium products.  Everyone likes the shiny appearance and cleanliness. But stainless steels do not conduct heat well, so a core of aluminum or copper improves the uniformity of temperature across the pan while the stainless steel surface offers corrosion resistance and does not react with foods. Bingo,we have the best of two worlds.

{ Insert stainless pot}

The most common commercial method for making a clad of two metals ( or more ) is done by hot or cold rolling the metals together. The roll pressure squeezing the two very surfaces together creates the bond. Details are dependent on the specifics of the materials being bonded together.

Many high strength aluminum sheet alloys are clad to provide corrosion or stress corrosion protection for the core alloy.

In another method…… called explosion cladding or explosion welding does the job of bonding.  Typically two plates have thoroughly prepared mating surfaces and are driven together by a progressive explosion that creates extremely high pressures.

Layers of compatible alloys can be applied by either depositing weld metal or using metal powders plasma spray welded to the core material.

If this has piqued your interest in how any of this is done there are several videos available on You Tube to go to….

Clad metals can be found in many automotive, defense, and aerospace applications and as you might suspect are subject to stringent specifications and part requirements

So CHECK THE SPECS!!!!!!    TWICE

So this is Michael with Michael Talks Metal. Thanks for watching. Need more info on metals, clad an all? Check the website www.michlinmetals.com for more info. Still here and haven’t subscribed? Click here. Missed last weeks video, click here. Thanks again for watching. This is Michael with Michael Talks Metal, I will see you next week, same time, same place. 10am YT! I’m out!