Rust Prevention in Manufacturing: Simple Tips to Protect Parts and Help Your Team Work Smarter
September 9, 2025
The shop floor and assembly line can be vulnerable places for in-process metal goods. Freshly machined metal is a magnet for flash corrosion—when going in and out of air-conditioned QC areas or enduring hot, humid days in parts of the shop that are not climate controlled. Often, workers apply rust preventatives to unfinished parts for interim protection . . . only to remove oils and greases with a harsh chemical cleaner before the next stage of finishing is done. Cortec® encourages manufacturers to eliminate this waste of time and materials by getting creative with VpCI® packaging solutions.
VpCI® Packaging for Quick, Clean Rust Prevention
The key advantage of VpCI® packaging is that it is fast and easy to use with little mess—unlike the hassle and cleanup associated with greasy rust preventatives. It is also highly effective. VpCI® packaging comes in many shapes and sizes, all based on Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitor chemistry, which only requires an enclosed space and a bare metal surface in order to be effective. Vapor phase corrosion Inhibitors emit out of their foundational VpCI® packaging material, diffuse throughout an enclosure, and adsorb (i.e., lightly adhere) on the metal, creating a protective molecular barrier that blocks corrosive reactions with moisture, oxygen, chlorides, or other harsh elements. When the enclosure is opened, VpCI® molecules begin to float away, typically requiring no further cleaning before the component can be used.
Get Creative: Mix-and-Match Packaging for Rust Defense
VpCI® packaging comes in many forms, allowing manufacturers to create a tailored solution that best fits their corrosion protection needs. These materials include VpCI®-126 film and bags in many styles, CorShield® VpCI®-146 paper, and VpCI® emitting materials such as BioPad® and CorPak® 8-MUL Pouches. Some examples of how parts can be protected between manufacturing stages are as follows:
- Line a production bin with a VpCI®-126 gusseted bag, fill with machined parts, and close the bag after each addition. Add a BioPad® if extra protection is needed.
- Sandwich layers of brake disks or flywheels between pieces of CorShield® VpCI®-146 Paper inside a bin.
- Cover racks/carts of gears with CorrCap™ VpCI® Protective Covers (customized shower-cap style versions of VpCI®-126 for easy removal and reapplication) and add BioPad® as an extra source of corrosion inhibitors.
Similar materials can be used for easy protection during shipment
Increase Throughput + Make Life Easier for Assembly Line Workers!
Corrosion is a constant threat, but manufacturers have the privilege of choosing their weapons. Creative packaging with VpCI® materials makes in-process corrosion protection much easier and quicker than using traditional rust preventatives by eliminating oils, greases, and the hassle of cleanup with harsh chemicals. Do you have a spot in your manufacturing process that could benefit from dry, easy to remove corrosion protection to improve your cycle time? Contact Cortec® to help your team develop a creative rust preventative packaging solution for your in-process goods.
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