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 The Metlab Potero Vanadium Carbide
Coating Process deposits a protective layer of up to 15 microns of
vanadium carbide on a wide range of tool and die
materials.
Primary applications are in the
steel, metal casting, aluminum, glass, plastics and rubber
industries. A variety of tooling materials can be protected,
including A-2, D-2, S-7, H-13, High Speed Steels and
Carbide.
Improves productivity
Vanadium
Carbide coating can reduce energy use by 35% to 50%, cut overall
manufacturing costs by 5% to 15% and increase productivity by 10% to
30%.
Metlabs Vanadium Carbide Diffusion Coating Process was
commercialized under a costsharing award granted by the
U.S.Department of Energy, Office of Industrial Technologies NICE3
(National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment and
Economics) Program.
The NICE3 award is a three-year project
granted to companies to demonstrate advances in energy efficiency
and clean production technologies.
Traditional methods are
costly
Traditional methods of coating steel
surfaces with a layer of hard metal or carbide require large capital
investments, produce toxic and hazardous gases, are costly to
operate and require multiple heat treatment steps during
processing.
Coating Process deposits a protective layer of up
to 15 microns of vanadium carbide on a wide range of tool and die
materials.
Primary applications are in the steel, metal
casting, aluminum, glass, plastics and rubber industries. A variety
of tooling materials can be protected, including A-2, D-2, S-7,
H-13, High Speed Steels and Carbide.
The diffusion coating process
The
vanadium carbide coating technology transforms the working surface
of the tools into a super hard protective layer. Multiple heat
treatments are not required.
Steps in the vanadium carbide
process include cleaning, preheating, coating, cooling or quenching
and subsequent tempering as required.
Cleaned parts are
preheated and then immersed in an environmentally benign fused salt
bath. Parts are soaked until the required coating thickness is
achieved, and then removed from the furnace for quenching, slow
cooling, and tempering.
Reduces
lubricant use
The result is a steel part with a
thick (up to 15 microns), well-controlled layer of vanadium carbide.
The hardness of the coating is in excess of 4000 HVN. Coupled with a
low coefficient of friction, the coating provides resistance to
adhesive or abrasive wear. A significant benefit is a reduction in
the amount of lubricants required for metal forming operations. - TOP |
Coating Process; Metlab's innovative coating
process enhances resistance to both adhesive and abrasive wear.
Benefits are increased tool life, improved output quality and lower
operating costs.