Corrosion Inhibiting Properties of Lubricant/Blank Washing Compounds

Lubricants and blank washing compounds are the primary source of corrosion protection for stamped sheet metal parts. Laboratory corrosion tests do not duplicate the real world corrosion behavior of parts in storage. In order to objectively evaluate the protection provided by metal working compounds, a designed experiment was used to; 1. test and compare compounds in an environment simulating real world conditions, and 2. evaluate the effect of various process parameters.

Sample panels from various steel suppliers were coated with various commercially available blank washing/lubricant compounds. The samples were prepared in a controlled manner subject to various experimental factors designed to simulate automotive stamping plant conditions. After preparation, the samples were exposed to an atmosphere designed to simulate a corrosive industrial environment. After a period of time the samples were removed from the test and the severity of the corrosive staining on the panels was measured using an optical reflectance method.