SAE/USCAR-5 REVISION 1

Issued November 1997

Revised August 2002

AVOIDANCE OF HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT OF STEEL

1. SCOPE:

This standard outlines the conditions that enhance the risk of hydrogen embrittlement of steel and
define the relief procedures required to minimize the risk of hydrogen embrittlement. It is intended
to control the process.

1.1 Hydrogen embrittlement of steel, which can cause brittle fractures under stress, occurs as a
result of the absorption of hydrogen during cleaning, phosphate coating and plating processes.
The susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement increases with increasing stress (internal or
externally applied stress) and increasing material strength.

1.2 Hardness readings in this specification are in Vickers scale. SAE J417 should be referred to for
conversion to other scales.

NOTE 1: All references to temperatures relate to part core temperature and not the indicated
oven air temperature. Statistical data of verifications in temperature at the center of
the oven load and oven temperature shall be established to develop the oven profile.
The temperature of parts in a batch type of baking furnace shall be monitored with a
thermocouple placed in the middle of the load. For continuous bake ovens a
temperature trace through the oven must be run with a calibrated thermocouple in the
lowest temperature position, at least once a year.

2. REFERENCES:

2.1 SAE Publications:

Available from SAE, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001.

SAE J417 - Hardness Tests and Hardness Number Conversions

The research data, analysis, conclusion, opinions and other contents of this document are solely the product of the authors. Neither the Society of
Automotive Engineers, Inc. (SAE) nor the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) certifies the compliance of any products with the
requirements of nor makes any representations as to the accuracy of the contents of this document nor to its applicability for purpose. It is the sole
responsibility of the user of this document to determine whether or not it is applicable for their purposes.

Copyright 2002, USCAR

All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS DOCUMENT: (724) 772-8518 FAX (724) 772-3036

TO PLACE A DOCUMENT ORDER: (724) 776-4970 FAX (724) 776-0790
 SAE/USCAR-5 REVISION 1 Revised August 2002
AVOIDANCE OF HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT OF STEEL

3. REQUIREMENTS:

The parts shall be processed in accordance with this specification as applicable to minimize the risk
of hydrogen embrittlement. Specific applications or customer requirements may require processing
that goes beyond the requirements of this specification

3.1 Cleaning Prior to Heat Treatment:

All parts to be heat treated to a specified hardness (core or surface) greater than 353 HV must be
cleaned prior to heat treatment to remove phosphate associated lubricant residues and
detrimental contaminants from the surface.

3.1.1 Acid Cleaning After Heat Treatment or Cold Working: Acid cleaning of parts to be heat treated
to a specified hardness (core or surface) greater than 353 HV or highly stressed cold worked
parts enhances susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement, and shall be minimized. If high
hardness parts are to be acid cleaned, it is required that a procedure be established for
processing the parts that limits the time in the acid bath to a maximum of 10 minutes. Parts
which are acid cleaned and subsequently oiled, phosphated, mechanically (non-electrolytically)
plated, or electroplated shall follow the requirements of 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, or 3.5, as applicable. All
other parts which are acid cleaned shall not be used for 48 hours or alternately these parts shall
be baked for 1 hour minimum at 115 ± 5 °C following cleaning.

3.2 Oiled:

All parts to be heat treated to a specified hardness (core or surface) greater than 353 HV which
are acid cleaned before application of oil shall not be used for 48 hours or alternatively these
parts shall be baked for 1 hour minimum at 115 ± 5 °C after acid cleaning prior to oil application.

3.3 Phosphated:

All parts to be heat treated to a specified hardness (core or surface) greater than 353 HV, which
are acid cleaned and/or phosphate coated shall not be used for 48 hours or alternatively these
parts shall be baked for 1 hour minimum at 115 ± 5 °C following phosphate coating.

3.4 Mechanical Plated:

All parts to be heat treated to a specified hardness (core or surface) greater than 353 HV which
are acid cleaned before mechanical plating shall not be used for 48 hours or alternatively these
parts shall be baked for 1 hour minimum at 115 ± 5 °C following mechanical plating.

-2-
 SAE/USCAR-5 REVISION 1 Revised August 2002
AVOIDANCE OF HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT OF STEEL

3.5 Electroplated:

3.5.1 All parts either hardened or cold worked to a specified hardness (core or surface) greater than
353 HV, when electroplated shall be baked for 4 hours minimum at 200 °C within 1 hour of
plating and prior to chromate treatment.

3.5.2 All parts to be heat treated to a specified hardness (core or surface) greater than 390 HV, when
electroplated shall be baked at 200 °C for a minimum of 8 hours within 1 hour of plating and
prior to chromate treatment.

3.5.3 Hardened parts which have been tempered or stress relieved at less than 200 °C shall be
baked for 8 hours minimum at 115 ± 5 °C within 1 hour of electroplating.

NOTE: Where tin or Tin alloy electroplated coatings are specified relatively low, (near 200 °C )
deembrittlement temperatures and longer times may be necessary to prevent 'Liquid
Metal Embrittlement' issues. In these cases the temperature and time shall be agreed
between the coater and the end user, (Original Equipment Manufacturer)

3.6 Verification Test:

The control plan shall include a verification test to demonstrate the effectiveness of
de-embrittlement, such as SAE/USCAR 007.

PREPARED BY THE USCAR FASTENER TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

-3-