Technique permits plating of primarily metallic substrates with either metals or nonmetals at normal temperature. Peening uses compressed air to apply concurrent streams of small glass beads and powdered plating material to the substrate

Babecki, A. J.

Haehner, C. L.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

July 1971	 Brief 71-10256 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Goddard Space Flight Center 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Off i ce, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Plating by Glass-Bead Peening 
.
A glass-bead peening technique permits sub-
strates (primarily metallic) to be plated with various 
metals (or other materials) at normal temperature 
and without vacuum, electricity, liquids, or baths 
of any kind. The peening is accomplished by 
using compressed air to apply concurrent streams 
of small glass beads and powdered plating material 
to the substrate. 
The process requires a compressed air source, 
a work chamber, supplies of glass beads and plating 
powder, a nozzle to direct the stream, and Almen 
strips for gaging the peening effect. The sizes of 
the beads and of the nozzle, the nozzle's distance 
from the substrate, the duration of the stream 
application, the nature and size of the plating 
material, the method for introducing the material 
into the airstream, and the force of the airstream 
can be varied. Areas that are not to be plated can 
be masked with any one of several pressure-
sensitive tapes or films that can be easily re-
moved. 
Substrates of copper, steel, magnesium, and alum-
inum alloy have been plated with aluminum or 
nickel. The plating rate is determined by such 
conditions as the sizes of the beads and of the 
plating powder, the air pressure, and the ratio 
of powder to beads. The coating thickness is 
determined by the duration of the spray. 
Various nonmetals, such as polytetrafluoroethylenes 
and solid lubricants, can also be applied to metals. 
One advantage of this method is that, during 
the plating process, the surface is mechanically 
worked. This can be employed to produce surface 
hardening, increased resistance to fatigue by 
the removal of residual stresses, the elimination 
of tool marks, or the development of galvanic
potentials for specific applications. In addition, 
plating is more rapid than other means, a greater 
variety of metals may be employed, no hazardous 
chemicals are required, the equipment is simpler 
to operate and less expensive than electroplating 
systems, and there is no danger of hydrogen em-
brittlement. In addition, the stream of glass beads 
can be used to clean the substrate surface before 
the metal powder is introduced. 
The mechanical working may introduce some 
distortion in thin-gage metallic substrates. Though 
generally undesirable, this feature can be used to 
induce specific curvatures. 
Note: 
No further documentation is available. Specific 
questions however, may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Goddard Space Flight Center 
Code 207.1 
Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 
Reference: B71-10256 
Patent status: 
This invention is owned by NASA, and a patent 
application has been filed. Royalty-free nonexclusive 
licenses for its commercial use will be granted by 
NASA. Inquiries concerning license rights should 
be addressed to: 
Patent Counsel 
Mail Code 204 
Goddard Space Flight Center 
Greenbelt, Maryland 20.771 
Source: C. L. Haehner and A. J. Babecki

Goddard Space Flight Center

(G SC- l 1163)
Category 08 
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Plating by glass-bead peening

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