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Automotive
PVD Coatings for the Automotive Industry
Friction, wear, corrosion, and weight are inherent problems in the automotive industry. Each adds costs to manufacturers, consumers, and the environment; therefore gains in these areas produce tremendous benefits. Acree Technologies has developed specialized coatings that significantly abate these problems.
Acree has developed coatings that are highly resistant to erosion and wear:
The combination of hardness, toughness and ease of application makes these coatings excellent for the harsh environment of automobile engines. PVD coatings help keep cars running longer.
- hard and tough multilayer coatings
- thin (micron scale) to not affect dimensional tolerances
- passed extensive tests for erosion resistance under a wide variety of particle impact angles and speeds on a number of substrates
- can be suitable for complex shapes because Acree uses specialized processes that are not strictly line-of-sight
The combination of hardness, toughness and ease of application makes these coatings excellent for the harsh environment of automobile engines. PVD coatings help keep cars running longer.
DLC Coatings for the Automotive Industry
DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) is a great example of a versatile PVD coating for the automotive industry. Many fuel injectors in high-performance diesel engines are now coated with DLC, as are a variety of other engine parts employed in race cars. DLC is quickly being adopted by automobile manufacturers for other components and systems, such as include tappets, valve lifters, and wrist pins. Even door hinges and locking systems are being coated with DLC rather than grease. This trend will only continue to grow as future engine systems are expected to be much more compact, yet far more roubst and efficient, than their predecessors.
PVD Coatings for Fuel Economy
PVD coatings improve fuel economy by reducing friction. Engine friction is estimated to decrease MPG (miles per gallon) by 10-20%. By coating parts and systems (drive train, bearings, fuel injectors, valves, cam components, gears, rocker arms, etc.) automobile manufacturers can realize significant improvements in MPG. PVD coatings also improve gas mileage by allowing manufacturers to replace heavy metals (steel, iron) with lighter alloys (aluminum, titanium). Alloys greatly reduce vehicle weight (and therefore increase MPG) but they are susceptible to friction based heating, galling, and even total seizure. However, PVD coating (such as DLC) improves the tribological resistance of alloys. The coating protects components from friction and wear, allowing them to be made from lightweight alloys.