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A Beginner's Guide to Silver Anti-Seize Compound: The Ideal Solution for Metal-to-Metal Contact
The industrial, manufacturing, and automotive industries share the challenge of dealing with corrosion issues caused by metal-on-metal contact. To minimize these issues, these industries use anti-seize compounds to prevent corrosion and the issues it can lead to.
What Are Anti-Seize Compounds?
Anti-seize compounds are specially formulated lubricants that reduce friction and help prevent corrosion and seizure of components. Unlike other lubricants, this contains not only oil and grease but solids that allow them to be effective under extreme temperatures. When high temperatures have dissipated the oils in the product, the solids resist heat and continue to provide lubrication and protection.
There are many formulations for metal-to-metal contact. According to Manufacturers Edge, the choice of which to use is guided by several factors:
- Environment and temperature
- Time needed to set
- Contact with chemicals, acids, or alkalis
- Potential contact with food
- Contact with water
How Does Anti-Seize Compound Protect Dissimilar Metals?
While moisture will corrode most metals, when two dissimilar metals come into electrical contact that corrosion is amplified for one of the metals involved. This is called galvanic corrosion and can greatly increase the rate of corrosion within a coupling. Professionals use anti-seize for dissimilar metals to provide a lubrication barrier between the metals in order to prevent galvanic corrosion.
What Are the Different Grades of Anti-Seize Compounds?
The environment is the most common determining factor in choosing which grade of anti-seize compound for metal-to-metal contact to utilize. Compounds are separated into the following grades:
- Silver Grade anti-seize compound is a good general-purpose product. It is effective at temperatures as high as 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. Silver-grade compounds are a good choice for most common applications.
- Nickel Grade anti-seize compound is a good choice for special applications that are subject to heat as high as 2600 degrees Fahrenheit. It does not contain copper, making it suitable for applications in which copper elements should be avoided.
- Food Grade anti-seize compound contains aluminum and meets the requirements for applications in which incidental food contact is a factor. It is effective in temperatures as high as 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Copper Grade anti-seize compound is useful in applications in which electrical conductivity is desired or for use on soft metals. It is also effective in temperatures up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Along with these common grades of anti-seize compounds, there are other specialty formulations such as marine-grade products for use in wet environments, zinc-grade products for use with aluminum, and nuclear-grade products that are typically used in nuclear power plants.
Quality Products for Reasonable Prices with ROGO Fastener Co.
ROGO Fastener Co. is a family-owned business that has been a trusted name in the automotive industry since it opened its doors in 1992, carrying a full line of anti-seize compounds for metal-to-metal contact as well as a robust inventory of products for automotive manufacturing and maintenance needs. Shop the full catalog of ROGO Fastener Co. line of products online today.