If you think all low friction coatings are created equal, we have news for you. But don’t be overwhelmed. Because Industrial Coatings World is here to help. We care!

Your design is finished. And your engineering is sound. So why leave your coating to chance?

To best prevent friction, do remember these universal rules:

1) No two coatings work exactly alike in the same environment.

2) No single coating works exactly alike in two different environments.

Neglect these truths or make false assumptions can mean the difference between lackluster performance -- or worse! In many cases, it’s not the fault of the coating. It’s a misunderstanding of the coating’s suitability for the environment.

So, what are the characteristics of a good, low coefficient of friction coating? Why do so many fail to provide sustainable performance? Why do so few succeed? Is the answer only in lubrication? You may be surprised.

To pick a coating right for you, recognize the two forms of friction and their contributing factors:

Static Friction-- forces acting upon a body at rest, set in motion. If the object doesn’t move when acted upon by a force, this is considered a static condition. Generally, the static force from the interlocking surfaces will increase and prevent relative motion up until some relative threshold where motion occurs.

Dynamic Friction-- forces slowing a body already in motion. If the force is sufficient to move the object, this is considered a ‘dynamic’ or kinetic condition.

Friction is the opposing force between two bodies or materials that tends to dampen motion. What are the contributing factors? Conditions for friction include surface to surface contact and applying an external force in an attempt to move one.

There are several types of frictional motion, including sliding, rolling, and fluid. Here, suffice it to say friction is the result of surface roughness, molecular adherence, and deformation effects.

So, while the calculation for friction coefficient seems simple enough (ratio between tangential and normal loads) it is a complex, system-dependent parameter.

What’s the best coating for lowering friction? Consider load, rate of travel, distance, temperature, hardness of mated materials, contaminants, and surface finish. Also, be sure to know your coating’s flex or shear strength in relation to either material surface, along with the applied force. The harder a base material (its ability to resist plastic deformation) the more effective the lubrication.

Which surface should you coat? Generally, coating the softer of the two surfaces will extend the life of the ‘system.’ Friction will be slightly higher if both surfaces are coated than if only one surface is coated. However, wear life will increase if both surfaces are coated. Either way, you will have to determine which is more important: longer wear life or lower friction.

Want to make a better product? Or simply, make your product faster, more reliably, with less scrap? We share your goal to improve surface performance!

Here, in the following articles, you’ll find the newest, state-of-the art advancements in low friction coatings. Teflon. PTFE. MoS2. WS2. Graphite. Dry Film Lubricants. Anodizing. Plating. Vapor Deposition. Thermal Spray.

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