Lapping or Polishing
March 20, 2019
Low friction coatings are popular types of industrial coatings used today. These coatings are named so due to their low coefficient of friction. There are various types of low coefficient of friction coatings such as PTFE, Molybdenum Disulfide, Tungsten Disulfide, etc. Although all these coatings are designed to reduce the friction between two surfaces, there are still many things that you may not know about them. This post concentrates on different aspects of these coatings, which were earlier not touched upon.
8 Interesting Facts about Low Friction Coatings
The following information will help you understand the working of low friction coatings:
1. The coefficient of friction in low friction coatings vary from 0.05-0.2. This entirely depends on the type of coating used, and load applied.
2. Friction is the resisting force between two surfaces that are sliding against each other. This force may cause wear, and may increase the energy used to maintain the movement. The friction is classified into two types: static friction and dynamic friction. The static friction is the force that resists the initial movement between the two static object, whereas dynamic friction or kinetic friction is the force that resists objects that are sliding against each other. The dynamic friction values are often lesser than static friction values.
Long periods of inactivity between mating surfaces may generate high static friction. The low friction coating applied will help reduce these forces.
3. When friction between two mating surfaces increases, the energy needed to maintain the process also increases. This leads to destruction of the mating surfaces.
4. Many times, low friction coatings are confused with non-stick coatings. Release and friction are two different concepts. A coating that is non-stick may not offer low coefficient of friction or vice-versa.
5. Low friction coatings can be availed in a variety of choices depending on the applications used.
6. Speed and load are two very important factors for selecting low friction coatings. Whether individually or combined, these factors may have significant effect on the selection of the right type of coating.
7. Low friction coatings are loaded with molybdenum disulfide, graphite or other dry additives when exceptional bearing properties are required.
8. The coating is applied on the softer surface of the two. If the friction is high, both surfaces are coated rather than one. The wear life will increase, if the coatings are applied on both surfaces. A user should determine, which is important – the lower friction or longer wear life.
As discussed earlier, there are various types of low friction coatings used today. While selecting your coating, you need to keep the above mentioned facts in mind. If you are unable to arrive at the right conclusion, you can always approach an industry expert like Microsurface Corporation in San Jose, California. This company provides engineered coatings, lapping compounds, and lubricants for the industrial applications.