Search Results

One important development area for obtaining better fuel economy is to reduce mechanical friction losses in engine components. The power cell and the valve train components are a significant source of mechanical friction loss in an automobile engine. A lot of attention has been given to the development of new materials and coatings that not only minimize friction, but also improve wear resistance. Amorphous carbon (a-C:H, a-C:H:Me and a-C:H;X) known as DLC (Diamond-Like-Carbon) coatings have a high potential to fulfill these requirements, providing significant potential for a solution under these demanding service conditions. This paper presents the evaluation of DLC coatings on piston rings, liners, pins and cam-followers. It will be presented results of different coating systems, designed for each application. It is also discussed the coating engineering required due to the particular running conditions of each product.