Mechanical wear is one of the most common reasons of total equipment failure. It causes the functional surface of machine components to degrade, which leads to the ultimate breakdown of equipment. The solution is wear resistant coatings that extent the life of machine components against the various types of wear damage. Repaired damaged parts can be overlaid with a wear resistant coating. Based on the types of wear and specific operating conditions, a variety of wear resistant coatings can be provided by thermal spraying.

Types of mechanical wear:

Fretting occurs if material is gradually worn away from rubbing or gnawing. Typically found at the rough edges of contact surfaces, fretting is sometimes caused by friction or vibration. Fretting leaves behind pitted surfaces and corrosion. Anti-fret coatings increase the surface hardness of the component and extend the life of the part.

Fretting Solutions

  • Ball bearing raceway coating
  • Cylinder head coating
  • Tungsten carbide coating

Galling occurs when there is an adhesion between sliding surfaces. There is typically a visible transfer of material. Common metals susceptible to adhesive wear include aluminum, stainless steel and titanium. Galling often occurs in bearings and bushing, as well as hydraulic cylinders and bolt-hole threads. Anti-gall coatings increase the hardness of the surface and prevent the softer materials from being affected.

Galling solutions:

  • Brass alloy coatings
  • Bronze alloy coatings
  • Tungsten carbide coatings

Erosive wear occurs because of the impact of solid or liquid particles against the machine component surface. This occurs in a variety of industries; namely print and mining. Wear coating increases machine elements tolerance towards erosion by increasing the surface hardness. This extends the life of components and decreases production down time. Components that come into contact with harsh materials or liquids benefit greatly from wear resistant coatings.

Erosion Solutions:

  • Printing press ink roller enhancement and repair

Abrasive wear is caused by rough or sharp objects rubbing against soft surfaces. Abrasion resistant coatings put a layer of specifically selected material between these surfaces to protect the softer surfaces. This eliminates the need to constantly replace machine elements made of softer materials such as aluminum, copper and nickel. Abrasion damage occurs in various operating conditions such as plowing or cutting motions.

Abrasion Solutions:

  • Chopper folder rolls
  • Cutting tool protection
  • Repair surface abrasion and resulting spalling