Wear Control for Forged Aluminum Wheels

There’s a cross-industry movement toward lighter-weight materials to reduce vehicle weight, improve fuel economy and lower lifetime component costs. However, moving from steel to aluminum brings its own set of challenges as trailer, RV, bus and heavy truck weights, combined with road debris such as ash and grit, can cause wear between the rim and the tire. Eventually, the rim of an aluminum wheel can wear into a razor-sharp edge and damage the tire.

Praxair’s patented wear-control coatings can protect the aluminum, allowing it to maintain its shape and strength. 

Abrasive Wear, Fretting and Clearance Control for Diesel Engine Turbocharger Nozzles

A turbine-driven forced-induction turbocharger increases an engine’s efficiency and power by forcing extra air into the combustion chamber. But while the compressed air generates greater mechanical power, it can also result in abrasive and fretting wear as the tips of the turbocharger nozzle gradually erode—eventually causing the engine to seize. To protect the nozzle tips, our Tribomet^™ electrodeposited composites form an adherent oxide that acts as a glaze on sliding contact areas.

Our Tribomet abrasive coatings allow for turbocharger nozzle designs that reduce the gap between the stator and rotor to improve fuel efficiencies. Should contact between a stator and rotor occur, the interaction between the abrasive and abradable counterforce coatings can cut a machined gas path seal. And that’s not all. Our proprietary coatings resist friction heating that can induce thermal cracking on the rotor and are an excellent alternative to hard chrome or other galvanic coatings. 

Tribomet™ Abrasive Coatings (183 KB)

Automated Friction Control Coating for High-Volume Production

Our automated thermal spray system is designed to quickly process automotive, truck and farming equipment parts in high volumes—from 100,000 to more than 3 million parts. We apply uniform carbide, ceramic and metallic coatings in a wide range of thicknesses and spray rates to parts with complex geometries.

Molybdenum wire spray coatings are ideal for friction control on automotive components such as synchronizer rings and shifting forks. HVOF and plasma thermal spray coatings and high-performance slurry coatings can reduce abrasion, arcing, corrosion, oxidation and wear. They can also be applied in an automated mass-production environment on pins and engine and transmission parts such as pinions, belt pulleys and valves, and anywhere chrome replacement is desired or required. 

Ceramic-Coated Bearings for Current Insulation in Electric Motors

Rolling bearings used in rail vehicles, drivetrains and generators can be subjected to electrical currents that can damage raceways and rolling elements—causing premature motor or generator failure. Protect those bearings with a plasma-applied ceramic coating to reduce maintenance and repair costs due to damage caused by electrical currents.

Dry Lubrication

Also called nonstick, anti-stick or release coatings, our easy-to-clean fluoropolymer coatings provide dry lubrication to compression or thermoformed molds that are used to create plastic and rubber components like pins, wires and safety belt parts. These coatings are also applied to the grids of automotive painting booths to reduce maintenance costs and enhance overall productivity with improved paint-spraying quality and cleaner tooling. 

Fluoropolymer coatings are a great alternative to nickel plating or metal hardening where dry lubrication is needed. 

Lithium-Ion Battery - Production Enhancement

Praxair Surface Technologies has been improving the production process to make lithium-ion batteries for over 5 years. Our surface treatments protect lithium-ion production equipment and improve product quality by retaining the original desired surface characteristics. Our customers are benefiting from productivity gains, quality stability, and lower maintenance costs.

PST Lithium Battery Flyer