11 Pro Tips for a Rust-Free Holiday Break
We’re only days in and it’s already beginning to look a lot like the holiday season everywhere we go — And in just a few short weeks you’ll be shutting your doors and you and all the rest of your staff will be enjoying some well deserved time off. Well, except for RUST.
Well, except for RUST. That’s right, while we’re all away celebrating, molecules in your warehouse atmosphere will still be looking to form rust on your vulnerable metal parts.
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At Green Packaging, Inc. we recommend the use of Rust Guard Premium™ VCI products to prevent rust and corrosion on metal parts. Our VCI products contain the highest concentrated levels of VCI on the market and are guaranteed to prevent rust. While many metal parts manufacturers use VCI products to prevent rust and corrosion during shipment and while in storage, VCI can also be used to protect your metal parts during WIP (Work in Process), and holiday shut-down. When metal parts are left exposed for a long period of time, oxygen, moisture, and contaminants in the air can cause and accelerate rust and corrosion. Here are 11 tips for preventing rust on metal parts during weekend and holiday shut-downs:
- Cover any exposed metal parts with VCI paper or VCI poly sheeting
- Fold over and close the VCI bag for any metal parts that have already been placed in a VCI bag
- Be sure that there are no metal parts sitting directly on wooden pallets, corrugated boxes or wooden crates. Make sure there is a barrier of VCI paper or VCI poly sheeting between the metal parts and any wood or paper products
- Keep metal parts away from heat treat areas or any other area that have industrial air contaminants
- Try to keep the air temperature in the plant as constant as possible. Fluctuations in temperature can cause condensation and corrosion
- Drape VCI poly sheeting over any equipment that is not in use
- Cover tooling, molds, etc. with VCI paper or VCI poly sheeting
- Alternatively, you may spray exposed parts, equipment and tooling with Dry Coat Rust Preventative
- Use the shut-down period to perform Preventative Maintenance on all equipment
- Purge or clean all metalworking fluids prior to shut-down
- Titrate all metalworking fluids prior to shut-down