Hydro

THE EIC ADVANTAGE:

For over 15 years, we have repaired surface damage caused by cavitation, erosion, and corrosion- WITHOUT WELDING.

Minimize downtime. Maximize performance.

We repair surface damage on cast iron, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and brass- without welding- using a proprietary process we originally developed for mining truck bearing and seal surfaces. You can view a summary of over 100 critical hydro components we’ve successfully repaired by clicking here.

Our weld-less repairs offer exceptional advantages over conventional repairs:

  • Zero base metal distortion or embrittlement
  • Zero base metal dilution
  • Excellent cavitation, corrosion, and erosion resistance
  • Outstanding coating toughness
  • Extremely high bond and cohesive strength
  • Very machinable using conventional tooling

You can view our Weld-less Surface Repair Technical Bulletin here.

On site or in-house.

Since 2017, we have performed over 1,600 hours of confined-space hydroelectric repair work on location.

Our in-house part manipulator capacities:

Round components up to 24' diameter and 40,000 pounds.
Shafts up to 38,000 pounds and unlimited lengths.
Our Services

Cast Iron Surface Repairs

Repairs of large cast iron surfaces via welding can be particularly thorny as cast iron tends to become brittle and crack when welded due to its very low tensile strength. Even ductile cast iron cannot be  welded without stressing and embrittling the base metal and distorting the part.

Epoxy repairs are infamous for being temporary band-aids incapable of surviving long term in many hostile hydro environments.

The toughness, erosion and corrosion resistance, thick buildup capabilities, very high bond strength, and machinability of our weld-less repairs make them an excellent choice for cast iron surface damage.

Overlay Alloys

  • Supernickel – our workhorse for hydroelectric and mining applications
  • Supercobalt – an excellent choice for severe corrosion problems
  • Aluminum
  • Nickel-aluminum bronze – excellent for repair of brass and bronze alloys
  • Amorphous alloys – extraordinary resistance to abrasion; non-machinable

Acceptable Substrates

Most metallic substrates with a surface hardness below HRC 40 can be successfully repaired using our process.

  • Carbon and alloy steels
  • Stainless steels (austinitic, martensitic, PH, and duplex)
  • Brass and bronze
  • Cast iron
  • Aluminum

The Problems With Welding

Welding has its place in the hydro world, but it often comes with significant risks.

Base metal distortion and warpage is a particularly difficult problem for precision components.

Base metal embrittlement can lead to cracking and catastrophic part failure. High-carbon alloys and cast iron are particularly susceptible to this.

Base metal dilution occurs when filler metal mixes with base metal during welding. It can result in sub-optimal characteristics of the weldment, such as embrittlement and carbon migration. This can compromise the stainless character of the overlay and make machining of the welded surface difficult or impossible.

A 2013 study published in Welding In the World found that cracking is widespread even with lower-heat dip arc welding. That study, and the original images, can be found here.

Manufacturing and repairing severe duty machinery components since 2003.

Our Resume / More Information

Our full hydro resume is available by clicking here.

More information:

We look forward to partnering with you to keep your hydro facility in service. Request a consultation today: