Adhesions

 

Adhesions are material residues on workpiece edges or surfaces that arise during thermal or mechanical processing.
They influence edge quality, surface condition and subsequent manufacturing processes.

 

Formation of adhesions

Adhesions occur when melted, displaced, or eroded material is not completely removed during the machining process and remains on the workpiece surface.

Thermal cutting processes in particular often lead to material adhesion at the cut edge.

Typical causes

  • thermal cutting processes
  • molten material
  • unstable process parameters
  • tool wear
  • insufficient material discharge

Impact on subsequent processes

Remaining adhesions affect reproducible subsequent processes and can lead to unstable processing conditions.

Coating, assembly and welding processes are particularly sensitive to uneven material residues on the workpiece edge.

Possible effects

  • uneven edge quality
  • unstable coating conditions
  • increased post-processing effort
  • impairment of surface quality
  • unstable subsequent processes

Slag removal as a process step

In the slag removal process step, material adhesions are removed in a controlled manner to create reproducible starting conditions for subsequent processing steps.

The goal is a consistent edge quality with reduced post-processing effort and stable subsequent processes.

Related process step Slag removal sheet metal

Difference between adhesions and oxide layers

Adhesions consist of material residues or molten material. Oxide layers, on the other hand, are formed by chemical reactions between the metal surface and oxygen.

Technical differences

  • Adhesions: material residues on the surface
  • Oxide layers: chemical reaction layers
  • Adhesions: material often applied mechanically
  • Oxide layers: thermochemical surface modification

FAQ

How do adhesions form?

Adhesions arise from residual material during thermal or mechanical processing.

Why do adhesions need to be removed?

Material adhesion affects edge quality, subsequent processes, and reproducible machining conditions.

Further topics