Coatings for Wear, Friction Reduction in Mechanical Systems
Ionbond PVD, CVD and PACVD coatings are used in a wide range of applications for improvement of tribological, wear and corrosion performance of mechanical components. IHI Ionbond offers comprehensive solutions using Tribobond family of coatings, specifically designed to accommodate applications in diverse industries, including aerospace, racing, oil & gas and many others.
Among primary benefits of using these coating are:
- Dramatically reduced wear rates in most mechanical contacts
- Reduced friction losses and heat generation, leading to wear reduction and more efficient use of energy sources
- Possibility to operate in starved lubrication conditions, or without lubrication
- Post-coating machining/grinding is avoided due to low coating thickness (a few microns or ~ 0.1 mil range)
- Environmentally safe alternative to electroplating
- Modest costs
- Possibility to provide unique surface properties, e.g. electrical insulation, modified wettability etc.
Application Areas
Wear Protection | Friction Reduction | Corrosion Protection |
|---|---|---|
Sliding lubricated and dry contacts | Friction reduction in boundary and mixed lubrication regimes | Wear protection in selected corrosive media |
Abrasive wear | Providing extended life in oil-out situations | Corrosion protection in non-wear applications |
Erosion (hard partickles, cavitation etc.) | Friction reduction in dry conditions | |
Adhesive wear - galling/cold welding | ||
Fretting |
Green Alternative To Electroplating
PVD and PACVD coatings have been proven to be very effective in replacement of hard chromium plating in applications, where a combination of wear and corrosion protection is required. In particular, these coatings provide outstanding protection against fretting, galling and abrasion, clearly outperforming galvanic coatings.