United Kingdom-based Hardide Ltd., has launched Hardide, a gas-phase process coating technology.The
environmentally sound process is the first low-temperature, super-hard coating that uniformly coats
out-of-sight surfaces such as valves, bearings and extrusion dies, according to the company.Based
on a tungsten carbide composition, Hardide includes the following characteristics: a wear factor
between 40 and 100 times less than that for case-hardened steel; low dry-friction coefficient from
0.1 to 0.2; and porosity of less than 0.04 percent.Hardide has a high resistance to corrosion, and
is inert to melt aluminum and other metals at high temperatures. The coatings slippery,
low-friction surface reduces wear, in turn reducing shutdown time needed to replace parts,
according to Hardide.
November 2001
