Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing a brazed surface to receive a coating is disclosed. The method includes providing a brazed surface having a flux layer including a conversion coating and a powder component; and applying an aqueous solution containing a flux-removing agent to the surface to at least partially remove the powder component of the flux layer to obtain a treated brazed surface that is suitable for receiving a subsequent coating layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing a brazed surface to receive a coating is disclosed. The method includes providing a brazed surface having a flux layer including a conversion coating and a powder component; and applying an aqueous solution containing a flux-removing agent to the surface to at least partially remove the powder component of the flux layer to obtain a treated brazed surface that is suitable for receiving a subsequent coating layer.

Abstract: A method of securing body panels to a space frame of a vehicle is disclosed. Body panels are secured to rivet nuts that are assembled to frame members. The location of the rivet nuts or rivet nuts supporting surface is measured and the rivet nuts are milled or machined to correspond to reference body coordinates. The rivet nuts function as a integral shim pack and obviate the need for shims between the space frame and body panels. The rivet nuts may be milled or formed to predetermined thicknesses before or after assembly to the frame.

Abstract: A method of securing body panels to a space frame of a vehicle is disclosed. Body panels are secured to rivet nuts that are assembled to frame members. The location of the rivet nuts or rivet nuts supporting surface is measured and the rivet nuts are milled or machined to correspond to reference body coordinates. The rivet nuts function as a integral shim pack and obviate the need for shims between the space frame and body panels. The rivet nuts may be milled or formed to predetermined thicknesses before or after assembly to the frame.

Abstract: The invention is a method of forming a conversion coating on an aluminum surface. According to the method, the aluminum surface is conversion coated by first treating the surface with thermal degreasing or aqueous alkaline degreasing and then contacting the treated surface with an aqueous bath solution of KF. The concentration of KF in the solution is 2.0-25.0 wt. % and the temperature is 90-212° F. for at least 5 seconds.

Abstract: A method of bonding a thermally sprayed coating to a non-roughened light metal surface. The method comprises the steps of (a) depositing a coating surface (i.e. a double potassium aluminum fluoride salt) onto such surface which has been cleaned to be substantially free of grease and oils. The aqueous deposition provides a protective coating layer to inhibit oxide growth; and (b) subsequently thermally spraying metallic droplets or particles onto the protective coating surface to form a metallic coating that is metallurgically bonded to the cast surface.