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Coatings and Surface Treatments
We specialize in providing various coatings & surface treatments, specifically catered to tooling and machine components to assist in getting the most out of your application.
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We have more than 20 years of experience in optimizing tooling and parts for coatings & surface treatments in order to extract the highest performance out of them.
Why Coat or Surface Treat?
Coatings and surface treatments play a pivotal role in enhancing the performance, durability and efficiency of tools and machine parts. It provides properties to the surface that otherwise cannot be obtained from the base metal. A well-engineered surface can reduce friction, minimize wear and tear, and enhance the overall performance of tooling & parts, increasing productivity and cost-effectiveness.
Moreover, coatings and surface treatments contribute to sustainability by extending the lifespan of tools and parts, reducing the frequency of replacements, and minimizing resource consumption.
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Our Experience
Since our establishment in 2000, we've had the privilege of collaborating closely with Dr. Tohru Arai, the inventor of the TD process and former Head of R&D at Toyota, Japan, and hence we able to bring world-class TD coating to the South African market.
Over the years we've also added more coatings & surface treatments to our offering using the same, in-depth analytical approach we adopted from our inception.
Our experience has taught us that there is far more to it than just adding a coating or diffusing an element into the surface. Our specialty is on how to integrate the surface treatment from the design stage to ensure that the final tool or part performs at its peak.
Coatings and Surface Treatments
We have experience in the following coatings and treatments, however, please note that some of these are only available on parts manufactured by ourselves.
The TD Coating
The heavy duty, highly wear resistant TD coating developed by Toyota, Japan. Due to its very high bonding strength, TD is best coating for metal forming tooling and other applications requiring exceptional resistance to pick-up, scoring and abrasion. TD is hot process and therefore it is important to select the correct steel and heat treatment. Please speak to us about your application.
Applications:
Thicker gauge metal forming dies, extrusion punches, piercing punches, blanking tools, and wear resistant parts.
PVD Coatings
A range of thin, very hard coatings of TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, AlCrN or CrN. Mainly used for high precision tooling, punches, core pins and machine parts. Various Duplex PVD coatings are also available.
Applications:
Cutting tools, blades, metal forming tooling, piercing punches, blanking tools, injection moulding cores and inserts, die casting core pins, and medical parts.
DLC Coatings
The super-slippery Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) is part of the PVD range however these are carbon-based coatings. DLC has high hardness combined with an extremely low coefficient of friction and high release properties. The DLC coating is only available on manufactured items.
Applications:
Non-ferrous forming dies, piercing punches, and injection moulding cores and inserts.
Boriding
Boron diffused into a steel modifies the surface of part and develops a super hard layer in mild steels, alloy steels and stainless steels. With its carbide-like hardness, the Boriding layer provides high abrasion resistance.
Applications:
Wear plates, pump components, shafts, and machine parts.
Nitriding
Various nitriding process of salt, gas and plasma are available with or without blackening. Each of these processes has its specific advantage such as control of white layer and diffusion depth, localized application, and ease of shielding. Please discuss you application with us.
Applications:
Metal forming tooling, machine parts, gears, shafts, and pulleys.
Flash Chrome
A thin layer of low friction chrome for sliding parts and machine components. Flash chrome with its high hardness with a low coefficient of friction is still extensively used.
Applications:
Injection moulding pins and inserts, machine components, and bushes.
Hard Chrome
Hard chrome is a thicker layer of chrome and usually applied by means of a grind-chrome-grind process. Used in in higher load applications, hard chrome has good hardness and a low coefficient of friction.
Applications:
Rollers, and shafts.
Electroless Nickel
A uniform layer of nickel that follows part contours evenly, plates out in deep recesses and blind holes, and does not over-plate on corners. E-Nickel has very good corrosion resistance.
Applications:
Parts requiring corrosion resistance.
Carburizing and Induction Hardening
Both processes provide high surface hardness but with a different steel base. These processes are used when high surface hardness is required, but when a tough base is required. Carburizing can be applied by salt, gas, or plasma.
Applications:
Various machine parts, and gears.
Blackening (Hot Alkaline)
Hot alkaline blackening provides an aesthetic black surface to parts and the hot process provides better corrosion resistance compared to cold blackening processes.
Applications:
Various machine parts, jigs, and fixtures.
Release/Hydrophobic Nano Coatings
Hydrophobic coatings repel liquids and therefore show good corrosion resistance and high release properties. Teflon is such as coating however, thin, nano-engineered coatings can also achieve this AND these also have good wear resistance, therefore are more permanent.
Applications:
Injection moulding moulds and inserts, moulds for polyurethanes, etc.
If you have queries about any coatings and surface treatments, please feel free to contact us.
We are always interested in assisting to ensure are optimized for your application.