How do I prevent Thread Galling (Cold Welding)?

Galling is a common issue when screwing Stainless Steel or Titanium bulkheads into matching metal housings. Friction causes the threads to seize and weld together. To prevent this, you MUST apply a suitable Anti-Seize Compound (like Tef-Gel or Molykote) to the threads before installation and tighten slowly.

“Cold Welding” can ruin a $10,000 housing.

The Mechanism: Stainless and Titanium have oxide layers that can be scraped off under high torque, causing the raw metals to fuse.
Prevention:
1. Clean the threads thoroughly.
2. Apply a thin layer of nickel-free anti-seize paste.
3. Do not use an impact driver; hand-tighten with a torque wrench.
Material Pairings: Using a plastic (PEEK) nut on a metal bulkhead also eliminates this risk.

John Zhang

(CEO & Lead Engineer)
Email: info@hysfsubsea.com
With over 15 years of expertise in subsea interconnect technology, I lead HYSF's R&D team in designing high-pressure (60MPa) solutions. My focus is on ensuring zero-leakage reliability for ROVs, AUVs, and offshore instrumentation. I personally oversee the validation of our custom connector prototypes.

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