Fastener Failure Caused by Galling
Galling is a primary cause of fastener failure in stainless steel and aluminum fasteners. What is galling and what can be done to prevent it?
Fluoramics, Inc., which is a manufacturer of premium thread sealants, industrial lubricants, industrial greases and corrosion control products, provides the industry with an “Ask an Engineer” program, which frequently responds to questions about galling.
Galling is an adhesive “cold-welding” process that occurs between two metal surfaces that are moving across each other under high pressure. Galling often occurs during the torqueing or tightening of stainless steel fittings where the shear forces between the threads cause transfer of materials and subsequent hardening between the bolt and fastener.