Argos ST has developed a hard anodising treatment with a PTFE coating to limit wear and corrosion of moving parts.
The Argos ST Group
presented a new and innovative technique combining the hard anodising treatment with a highly performing PTFE coating in order to significantly increase the anti-friction properties of specific moving components, such as the central pins of the hinges used in the automotive, mechanical and marine sector.
The first phase involves the hard anodic oxidation treatment, which consists in immersing the metal in an acid bath with flowing current. By combining low temperatures with different densities of electricity, a thick layer of aluminium oxide is obtained, characterised by a high hardness and resistance of the metal surface.
During the second phase, instead, it is applied an innovative coating composed of a combination of fluoropolymers and graphite which guarantees a considerable reduction of friction, high non-stick performances and dry lubrication. Impregnating the previously anodised surface with this coating makes it possible to keep its characteristics unchanged even if the surface layer wears down, without the risk of peeling and flaking.
Finally, after a series of accurate checks and final tests, the third and final phase involves the assembly of the pins in the hinge system, which thus reach the assembly lines of the factories.
“The need to develop a solution like this arose from a specific requirement of a major automotive manufacturer, that needed to increase the anti-friction properties of the central pins of its high-tech hinges. However, its high resistance to abrasion, wear and corrosion of moving parts make it ideal for many other manufacturing industries, from mechanical and nautical to pharmaceutical and textile, as well as whenever extreme anti-friction properties are required,” has declared Vittorio Sacchi, managing director of the Opera (MI) site of Argos ST.