Surface Technology: Addressing Traditional Failure Modes in Combustion Engine Components

Chicago, Illinois - High performance valves used for regulating and controlling fuel mixtures in a variety of combustion engines are a particularly challenging application for surface engineering.  Heat treated valve plates undergo high temperatures, velocity impact, and sliding wear at high frequency and are expected to perform in critical applications for long durations with little or no lubrication present. Traditional methods of heat treatment and basic surface techniques are limited in their efficacy to address the failure modes associated with the application.

For the thin film designer, this creates an opportunity to understand the potential failure mechanisms and then develop a coating that can survive and excel in this harsh environment.  In this study, a review of the approach taken to understand the surface requirements for engines running on liquefied natural gas, and then the experimental outcomes of coatings designed for the purpose of extending valve life.  The study also compares the results of the current leading thin film deposition technique for this application, conventional cathodic arc coatings, to those produced by use of RAAMS technology in a CADENCE Flex system at Vapor Tech.

About the speaker
As the R&D Manager for Vapor Technologies, Bryce oversees the technology roadmap for process development and hardware.  Working closely with customers, Bryce also coordinates the development of deposition processes which provide functional, enabling and durable thin films to improve surface material properties for applications across many industries.  

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