Is surface treatment necessary for E Type Elastic Rail Clips?
Surface treatment is not an optional feature but a critical process ensuring the long-term reliability of E-type elastic rail clips. As these clips are continuously exposed to the natural environment, they are inevitably affected by rain, humidity, salt, and even industrial chemicals.
| railway E clips Specifications | ||||
| Type | E clip (e1809, e2006,e2007,e2009,etc) | |||
| Skl clip (skl1,skl3,skl12,skl14) | ||||
| Or the type by customers' drawings | ||||
| Material | 60Si2MnA | 60Si2CrA | 55Si2Mn | 38Si7 |
| Chemical composition(%) | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.60-2.00, Cr:≤0.35, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.56-0.64, Mn:0.40-0.70, Si:1.40-1.80,Cr:0.70-1.00 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.52-0.60, Mn:0.60-0.90, Si:1.50-2.00,Cr:≤0.35 P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 | C:0.35-0.42, Mn:0.50-0.80, Si:1.50-1.80, P:≤0.03, S:≤0.03 |
| Hardness | For e clip: 44-48HRCFor skl clip: 42-47HRC | |||
| Fatigue life | for Dia.18 is 3 millions cycles without breaking for Dia.20 is 5 millions cycles without breaking | |||
| Surface | plain (oiled), Oxide black, color painting | |||
| Standard refers | DIN17221, BS970, GB/T1222 | |||
Without a protective surface layer, the base metal is highly susceptible to corrosion. Rust not only reduces the cross-sectional area of the clip but also significantly degrades its fatigue strength, creating initiation points for fine cracks that can ultimately lead to premature failure under cyclic loading, posing a serious risk to track safety.
Different surface treatment processes offer targeted protection solutions. The most common plain oiling provides basic protection suitable for short-term storage and arid inland environments. Oxide blackening creates a dense black oxide layer, offering a neat appearance and moderate corrosion resistance, widely used in urban transit and general railway lines. For harsh environments like high humidity, coastal areas, or de-icing salt exposure, zinc plating (particularly electro-galvanizing or hot-dip galvanizing) is a superior choice, providing more durable and effective sacrificial anode protection. In special cases, more advanced methods like epoxy coating may be employed.
Therefore, the selection of a specific surface treatment must be based on the precise environmental conditions and design life of the railway line. The correct choice significantly extends the service life of the clips and reduces lifecycle maintenance costs.
GNEE RAIL supplies E-type elastic rail clips with the most suitable surface treatment options tailored to your project's environmental needs. We ensure every product undergoes stringent quality control, providing a solid foundation for your track safety.
