COATING TECHNOLOGY
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Take large cargo ships as an example.
Oerlikon coatings provide a proven technique for
upgrading critical rotating parts in hydraulic drives, pumps and valves
pumps; and sliding components across many industries. Te coatings are also a proven technique for upgrading critical rotating parts in hydraulic drives, pumps and valves. Advanced, hydrogen-free DLC coatings
provide even higher hardness along with a very low coefficient of friction. Tese coatings can be applied in the most demanding environments for high friction, wear and contact areas such as in hydraulic pump parts, mechanical seals and high-pressure valve components. Today, they are also playing an increasingly important role in e-mobility applications.
SMALL EFFICIENCIES ADD UP Even small percentage gains in energy savings can really add up in large scale industrial environments. “Consider that a single percent gain in efficiency for a 200-megawatt gas turbine represents the equivalent power needed for 1,500 homes,” says Alessandro Zedda, CTO at Oerlikon Balzers. Seemingly minor factors such as a smoother surface finish can improve fuel efficiency. In the aerospace and energy sectors, for example, PVD erosion coatings are applied to compressor blades to protect polished surfaces from degrading over time. Tis can reduce fuel usage by up to 0.5% while promoting component longevity. Tese fuel
reductions translate into comparable CO2 reductions. Similarly, in the automotive sector,
DLC-coated valve and powertrain components can reduce the friction mean
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effective pressure (FMEP) by 10%. Tis translates to a 2% reduction in fuel. A 20% reduction in FMEP will generate a 5% fuel consumption reduction. More stringent environmental
regulations and standards worldwide are also causing industry to focus on reducing their carbon footprint and design greener products.
Today operators need to reduce the sulphur content of their fuel to be compliant with current sulphur cap requirements. With a cleaner fuel mandate, marine engine manufacturers required a new fuel injection technology because clean fuels typically do not lubricate as effectively as those with a higher sulphur content. As a result, the coatings used in diesel marine engines also needed to be redesigned to ensure the new clean fuels will work well. Coatings that meet this new requirement have become an enabler of more efficient, higher performance, cleaner and smoother running machinery.
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF PARTS SAVES ENERGY Te environmental benefit of high- performance coatings is also realised by how they extend the life of parts and tools. When parts last longer they are replaced less frequently which reduces the raw materials, metals, and energy it takes to manufacture them. In the automotive sector, forming tools are made from multi-ton pieces of steel in
PVD coatings are widely recognised for the critical role they perform in enhancing operational performance
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