Have You Considered Using Plasma-Coated Engine Cylinders?
Why use plasma-coated engine cylinders? When cylinder bores are plasma-coated, the coating is able to replace the casting-in, shrinking, and pressing of cylinder sleeves. It also replaces the use of expensive galvanic plating processes using nickel. The wall thickness between engine blocks and the individual orders can be much thinner by replacing sleeves. The result: lower production costs of engine blocks, considerable weight savings, and a more compact construction.
A Special Mix And System
What is specifically used to coat engine cylinders? An optimum material selection between the cylinder bores and the piston rings determines what the solution is based on. The engine blocks are cleaned, grit blasted, and plasma sprayed in a continuous process. The plasma sprayed coatings are smooth, uniform, and thin. The system can spray, per day, as many as 200 in-line four-cylinder engine blocks and is designed for prototype series.
Compared to cast-iron, the plasma coating’s potential for lower friction values result in an extended lifetime for engine blocks, as well as providing excellent wear properties. A galvanic process is sometimes replaceable by plasma coating. This results in a solution that is environmentally friendly due to the elimination of the use of nickel-based materials.
Because the coating can be honed faster, plasma spray coating may provide lower finishing costs – depending on the coating itself. Additionally, honing tool wear and tear is reduced due to faster coating honing.
The coating solution used on cylinders meets both performance and economic goals. The material used in the thermal process fulfills necessary wear properties and friction behavior.
Lower Inventory and a Lowered Scrap Rate
With plasma coated engine cylinders, how many inventoried (in stock) piston and ring sizes a company maintains can be lesser than without plasma coating. Additionally, the need to wrap expensive cylinder cases will be lessened because bore limits will no longer be reached. Granted, to obtain these results, there is a cost. But to apply protective plasma coatings, the cost involved is minimal when you consider the benefits provided by the coatings.
Imagine the cost that would be involved if powertrain and moving mechanisms weren’t protected by wear resistant coatings and lubrication. Repair and replacement costs would skyrocket. This is how money spent on protective coatings is justified.
But Wait, There’s More!
The use of plasma spray provides even more improvements and desirable benefits, however. Longer warranties can be enabled, extended service periods realized, and reliability is increased. These are all desirable characteristics because the total cost of ownership is reduced, as are running costs.
Clearly, companies should consider very seriously the use of plasma-coated engine cylinders.
Plasma Coated Engine Cylinders by A&A Coatings
A&A Coatings coats engine cylinders and more with plasma spray and many other materials. Virtually every industry uses some type of coating, be it for the reduction of maintenance, extended lifetime of parts of machinery, safety factors, to rebuild parts, etc.
To find out what thermal spray coatings can do for you, contact A&A Coatings and speak to one of our knowledgeable representatives today.
