By Neil Thompson
Corrosion, that sneaky saboteur of naval vessels, infrastructure, and equipment, casts a shadow over their structural integrity and operational readiness. The unforgiving marine environment, with its relentless assault of saltwater exposure and atmospheric conditions, acts as a catalyst for corrosion, necessitating costly maintenance, repair, and replacement endeavors. Tackling these corrosion woes is paramount to ensuring the safety, reliability, and longevity of naval assets, thus safeguarding national security and maritime capabilities.
To this end, the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) holds MegaRust, an annual conference to address corrosion. MegaRust 2024 recently took place in San Diego. This gathering brought together experts, innovators, and enthusiasts from across the maritime industry to delve into the latest developments and challenges in corrosion control.
Funny enough, my undergraduate degree is in Materials Engineering, but I haven’t thought about corrosion for years. Stress corrosion cracking? Galvanic corrosion? Pitting? A blast from the past.
During MegaRust, there were updates on all types of topics, from abrasive blasting to coating shelf life. Some presenters even brought samples to look at, such as Dr. Maureen Foley with her composites update presentation.
Other presentations focused on other ways to address corrosion, such as using alternative materials like high density polyethylene, and performing risk assessments to determine probability and severity of corrosion outcomes.
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) provided a half day coatings fundamentals course. Not only can coatings provide a physical barrier between metals and a corrosive environment, they can also provide chemical resistance to corrosion, neutralizing corrosive substances.
AMPP also hosted Corrosion Control Jeopardy. Think Jeopardy with corrosion-related themes. Here’s an example:
Stress corrosion cracking results from exposing stainless steel to this type of environment.
What is a saltwater environment. Correct!
Live demos were happening outside, too. If you wanted to see coating application up close and personal, it was outside for you to enjoy. You probably wouldn’t enjoy the smell, though.
Also, if you attend MegaRust, be prepared to hear a bunch of military specifications.
MIL-PRF-24667D.
MIL-PRF-24635F.
MIL-PRF-23236D.
More specs than a LensCrafters!
MegaRust 2024 was a resounding success, offering valuable insights, technical advancements, and networking opportunities in the realm of corrosion control. As someone with a background in materials engineering, it was rewarding to revisit familiar topics. Let’s look forward to what the future holds for corrosion control.
SANDSWA 