Investigation of the porosity properties of copper plating before carburization on AISI 9310 steels

AISI 9310 steel is used in the parts of the gearbox in the Turkish Utility Helicopter Project. In order to give these low alloy steels high strength, carburization process, which is a hardening method, is performed. Before the carburization process, copper plating is applied to mask the parts where hardening is not desired. This project covers the examination of the general properties of the copper plating applied before carburization, and especially the porosity properties of the plating. Copper plating which is used in many different sectors in the industry, is a great maskingtool applied before heat treatment. Its cheapness and easiness to plate gives it an indispensable role in the world of chemical plating. In this study, the parameters affecting the porosity properties of the copper plating were determined and the parameters at which the best porosity properties were obtained in the experimental studies were determined.