Welcome to Techlines: January 1999

MORE TIPS FOR CERMAKROME

If you are not getting good suds in your vibrator and you have used clean water and a fresh load of soap try warming the water up. This could be especially critical if you are in a cold area. About 110f seems to work well.

NEW MCS

TECH LINE has just reformulated MCS. The new material is much less thickness sensitive and is very flexible compared to the old formula. Due to the changes it is necessary to do a light blast/etch before top coating.

This change was made to address the problems encountered when MCS was used as a base coat for CERMAKROME, and a sharp blow would cause both coatings to delaminate. When a clamp or pinch bolt was used MCS would many times crack when the clamp was tightened.

We have received numerous good reports regarding the use of MCS when it comes to handling high temperatures, including on Indy cars. MCS has allowed Cermakrome to be run in situations where other metallic ceramics would burn off. The flexibility issue and film build were the only areas where we felt improvement could be made.

1999 POTENTIAL

Reports from around the world indicate that there will be a bright future for coatings this year. Virtually every shop we have spoken to, is reporting increased business.

The expansion of the market is seen not only in the header coating area but also in the amount of internal engine parts being brought in for coating.
Market awareness is expanding and the desire to utilize coating technology is growing. If you have significant walk in traffic try to put a few coated parts on display, such as pistons, bearings etc. People like to handle parts.

BRAKE ROTOR COATING

We have been developing a new coating for brake rotors. This will be based on the MCX formula. The initial results have been very promising. The coatings have survived at least one full race in several circle track applications. The improvement in braking has been, initially at least, significant enough to more than justify the cost. We are not only increasing the grip of the pad but reducing the rotor temperature as well. Several shops on the East and West coasts are conducting testing with these formulations. We will keep you advised as testing continues this year.

RING AND PINION COATING

This is a market that has barely been touched. The potential is excellent, particularly in racing. In testing with Richmond Gear very favorable results were obtained.

In a test of a very hi helix gear set, the ratio was over 6 to 1, excellent data was developed regarding the friction reducing characteristics of a coated set.

First an uncoated gear set was run and the operating temperatures were measured. Utilizing this base line Richmond Gear then replaced the standard lube with a synthetic lube. The operating temperature dropped 20f. with the addition of the synthetic. This demonstrated the increased lubricity of the synthetic. Reduced friction means reduced heat generated. Next the set was coated and run with the synthetic lube in place. The results? The operating temperature dropped another 20f. The ring and pinion were coated with TLML.

The same benefits can be gained by coating quick change gears as well.

SS/ CERMAKROME

We have received repeated requests regarding the use of stainless steel in Cermakrome, to compete with shops offering a so called SS/metallic ceramic. Such coatings do not work better than Cermakrome.

If the aluminum powder is totally replaced with SS the coating becomes brittle and flakes easily. In addition while SS can take very high temperatures it does not polish well at all and is subject to discoloration at normal exhaust gas temperatures. We have worked with ALL forms of SS available. We can put reduced amounts of SS in the formulation. Depending on the ratios we can have a less brittle coating with some polish. Once aluminum is used with the SS, the temperature resistance is the same as if we did not use SS, it is controlled by the melt point of aluminum. To maintain the highest level of polish it is necessary to reduce the SS content considerably basically eliminating any real benefit from the SS.

If you feel that you need to offer a SS Cermakrome, to compete with another coater, please let us know and we will supply it at a minimal charge above the standard price for Cermakrome.

We have found no significant benefit is using SS. However we want to assist our customers in any way we can in competing in the coating field. This will allow the shop that wishes to identify SS as a component of their coating to do so.

Send e-mail to the author: Leonard Warren

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