Cold Welding: how CODIPRO fights the invisible enemy of screwdriving
Among the challenges our teams encounter, “cold welding” is a discreet but tenacious adversary.
This phenomenon occurs when an bolt gets stuck in a threaded hole or nut, making it almost impossible to disassemble without damaging the parts. This mainly occurs with ductile materials such as stainless steel, especially when screwing at high speeds. The reason: the combination of high pressure and friction, which leads to a local fusion of the surfaces in contact.
Known solutions… but sometimes insufficient
To limit the risks, several approaches are already being used:
- Reduced screwing speed
- Defect-free threads
- Impeccable cleanliness of the rooms
- Use of specific lubricants
- Combination of different materials for nut and bolt
- Suitable surface coatings
But in demanding environments, such as those of our customers, these precautions are not always enough.
CODIPRO innovation: a surface heat treatment for Cold Welding
At CODIPRO, continuous improvement is not a slogan: it is a promise. To meet this technical challenge, our engineers opted for an innovative and sustainable solution: the application of a specific heat treatment called Kolsterising.
👉 This process changes the microstructure of the stainless steel surface without altering its anti-corrosion properties. The result: a deep hardening of the surface layer, which drastically reduces the risk of cold welding.
The concrete benefits for our customers
- Less wear on the threads
- Easy assembly and disassembly, even after several cycles of use
- Extended part life
- Enhanced safety in lifting operations
With this new approach, CODIPRO continues to push the boundaries of safe lifting performance. This Kolsterising treatment, applied on request to our components, marks a major step forward in the fight against cold welding, for ever more reliable, durable and secure connections.