PREPARATION OF STEELS BEFORE PHOSPHATING - DEGREASING AND PICKLING - KEYS OF PHOSPHATATION SUCCESS

Phosphating and soaping treatments of steel billets facilitate cold fo rging operations. The success of these treatments depends on prior sur face preparation (pickling preceded or not by degreasing). A tribologi cal test is used to assess the effect of this preparation on the mecha nical behaviour of phosphated and lubricated coatings. The role of the degreasing step is shown, Mechanical and tribological properties of t he phosphated part can be related to parameters of the pickling proces s.