How corrosion finds two different metals
At an aluminium and stainless-steel joint, corrosion follows a circuit of metal contact and moisture. The shape of the joint, its coatings and the way it dries determine what a lasting repair must address.
A place for slower thoughts
Repair Observatory
Repair through fasteners, joints, diagnosis and careful documentation.
Words by Nadia Wren
The archive
5 storiesFrom the notebook
The connector that makes a cable repair possible
A cable's repair depends on more than a detachable plug. Strain relief, contact ratings, spare parts and enclosure seals decide what can be replaced.
What a worn bearing can tell you
The marks inside a rolling bearing can preserve clues about load, water, dirt, vibration, current and mounting. They become useful when read with the machine's history, its lubricant and the parts that held the bearing in place.
Why an adhesive joint fails at the edge
A broad glued overlap can concentrate force near its ends. Shear, bending and peel can start a crack in the adhesive or the material beside it; experiments show why total bond area alone is a poor strength test.
The screw head is part of the repair
A removable screw still needs the right bit, clear access and an identifiable replacement. The small recess in its head can decide whether a repair begins cleanly.