Best anti-wear coating for high strength aluminum?

[SorryOciffer]

I have several alloy shafts that will see road use. They will carry loads but indirectly through bearings on the shaft. While the load will rotate on the bearings, the bearings themselves are still able to rotate on the shaft.

What would be suggested as a good low friction, anti-galling/wear finish or treatment that I could have applied to minimize wear of the shafts against the steel bearings rotating as well as corrosion brought on by the elements?

ION Bond was suggested by a friend who has had several firearms coated with it.

 

[TVP]

IonBond offers a number of different coatings. Diamond-Like Coatings (DLC) are usually the choice for Al parts because they can be applied at relatively low temperatures by the PVD process. Oerlikon Balzers is another source for this kinds of coatings.

 

[KENAT]

PVD isn't the only way to deposit DLC, Sulzer has a plasma process (PACVD).

http://thinfilm.sulzermetco.com/l_tech_dlc_gb.html

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[unclesyd]

I would look at Hardtuf from Tiodize.

http://www.tiodize.com/aluminium_anodizing.html

If you are able to hold everything stationary and let the bearing do the rotating while keeping the inner and outer race stationary using a Tolerance Ring.

http://www.usatolerancerings.com/

 

[IRstuff]

Seems to me that allowing the bearing to rotate on the shaft is a really bad idea. The whold point of inventing ball bearings was to get rid of the sliding friction by allowing the balls in the race to roll. Even if you could get a tough enough surface, the friction would generate gobs of heat, which would potentially rapidly degrade the coating anyway.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[SorryOciffer]

Thanks to both of you. Yes, the design is a little unorthodox but it seems to work without any real issue even in an un-coated condition. I am thinking ahead though and want to minimize downtime for maintenance or repair.

I am going to look into those rings more and see if they may be the key.

 

[PKerEng]

You may consider something else: electroless Ni with build-in particles of hex BN. Check

http://www.caswellplating.com

Slawomir

http://www.pkerengineering.com

 

[coatingengineer]

Hi. The lubricating aluminum hard coatings originating from ALCOA with <a href="

http://www.lukeeng.net/">Luke

Engineering & Mfg.</a> would be ideal. They are experts in light metal processing.

William Gunnar

http://www.IndustrialCoatingsWorld.com