Posted to News on 4th Dec 2012, 16:15
Diamond-like coatings prolong tool and component life
Surface engineering specialist Tecvac is advocating the application of Diamolith, a diamond-like carbon coating to improve the endurance and performance of critical engineering components. The Cambridge based company, part of the Wallwork Group, has introduced a service for the application of the high-resistance and highly lubricious surface treatment for manufacturers throughout the UK.
Applications for the amorphous carbon coating arise in industries such as engineering, automotive and aerospace where the life and performance of wear components such as gears and camshafts can be greatly extended. Likewise, treatment of moulding tools and punching dies will prolong life and increase product quality and yield by preventing sticking and binding.
Coatings are applied by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) at relatively low temperature, so the characteristics of the base material are unchanged. The grey to black amorphous carbon coating derives its characteristics from the sp2 and sp3 carbon producing a mix of graphite and diamond structures that give natural surface lubrication and exceptional hardness. The coatings can be successfully applied to steel, aluminium, titanium and many engineering and aerospace alloys.
In addition to established and proven Diamolith coating systems, Tecvac also offers a research and development service to develop bespoke coatings and processes to meet new technical challenges. This work is undertaken in a dedicated research and development department, but can be transferred to a full-scale production environment once proven for scaling up to commercial volumes. The company offer a full range of coatings to meet different technical requirements. Visit the website at www.tecvac.co.uk/ to find out more.
