Abstract: A wear resistant coating is applied to the thrust surfaces and bore surfaces of a connecting rod. The wear resistant coating includes a polymer matrix, such as polyamide imide (PAI), solid lubricant, and hard particles including Fe2O3. The wear resistant coating is typically applied by spraying or rolling. The wear resistant coating adheres well to metal and provides lubrication. Thus, the wear resistant coating can reliably reduce wear, scuff, and seizure along the surfaces of the connecting rod as the piston reciprocates and crank shaft rotates during operation of the internal combustion engine. The likelihood of engine contamination caused by metal shavings from wear of the connecting rod is reduced, and the life of the connecting rod and engine is increased.

Abstract: A piston ring including a base coating, for example a chromium-based material with an intentionally etched crack network is provided. The cracks of the base coating are filled with a sliding material, which is expected to improve scuff resistance. The sliding material includes polyamideimide (PAI) and Fe2O3. The sliding material can also include solid lubricant and hard materials. Alternatively, the base coating is formed of diamond-like carbon and applied to the piston ring by physical vapor deposition (PVD). In this case, the base coating includes protuberances or bumps, and the sliding material is disposed between protuberances of the base coating.

Abstract: A piston ring including a base coating, for example a chromium-based material with an intentionally etched crack network is provided. The cracks of the base coating are filled with a sliding material, which is expected to improve scuff resistance. The sliding material includes polyamideimide (PAI) and Fe2O3. The sliding material can also include solid lubricant and hard materials. Alternatively, the base coating is formed of diamond-like carbon and applied to the piston ring by physical vapor deposition (PVD). In this case, the base coating includes protuberances or bumps, and the sliding material is disposed between protuberances of the base coating.

Abstract: A sliding element, such as a piston ring, including a substrate, base coating, and relatively thin sliding coating is provided. The base coating is typically applied to a running surface of the substrate by PVD, CVD, galvanic deposition, electrodeposition, or a thermal spray process. The sliding coating includes a polymer matrix and hard particles disposed throughout the matrix. The sliding coating is applied to the base coating when the base coating is still in its as-applied condition and has a surface roughness of at least 4.0 ?m. During use of the sliding element, the thin sliding coating acts as a sacrificial run-in layer. In addition, as the polymer matrix of the sliding coating wears away, the hard particles polish the rough surface of the base coating. Thus, polishing or lapping of the as-applied base coating prior to use of the sliding element is not required.

Abstract: A sliding element, such as a piston ring, including a substrate, base coating, and relatively thin sliding coating is provided. The base coating is typically applied to a running surface of the substrate by PVD, CVD, galvanic deposition, electrodeposition, or a thermal spray process. The sliding coating includes a polymer matrix and hard particles disposed throughout the matrix. The sliding coating is applied to the base coating when the base coating is still in its as-applied condition and has a surface roughness of at least 4.0 ?m. During use of the sliding element, the thin sliding coating acts as a sacrificial run-in layer. In addition, as the polymer matrix of the sliding coating wears away, the hard particles polish the rough surface of the base coating. Thus, polishing or lapping of the as-applied base coating prior to use of the sliding element is not required.

Abstract: A sliding element, such as a piston ring, including a substrate, base coating, and relatively thin sliding coating is provided. The base coating is typically applied to a running surface of the substrate by PVD, CVD, galvanic deposition, electrodeposition, or a thermal spray process. The sliding coating includes a polymer matrix and hard particles disposed throughout the matrix. The sliding coating is applied to the base coating when the base coating is still in its as-applied condition and has a surface roughness of at least 4.0 ?m. During use of the sliding element, the thin sliding coating acts as a sacrificial run-in layer. In addition, as the polymer matrix of the sliding coating wears away, the hard particles polish the rough surface of the base coating. Thus, polishing or lapping of the as-applied base coating prior to use of the sliding element is not required.

Abstract: A sliding element, such as a piston ring, including a substrate, base coating, and relatively thin sliding coating is provided. The base coating is typically applied to a running surface of the substrate by PVD, CVD, galvanic deposition, electrodeposition, or a thermal spray process. The sliding coating includes a polymer matrix and hard particles disposed throughout the matrix. The sliding coating is applied to the base coating when the base coating is still in its as-applied condition and has a surface roughness of at least 4.0 ?m. During use of the sliding element, the thin sliding coating acts as a sacrificial run-in layer. In addition, as the polymer matrix of the sliding coating wears away, the hard particles polish the rough surface of the base coating. Thus, polishing or lapping of the as-applied base coating prior to use of the sliding element is not required.

Abstract: A piston ring is provided having a bottom surface, a top surface, an inner diameter surface and at least one running surface. A wear protection coating substantially entirely of cobalt is applied to the at least one running surface to protect the base material of the piston ring. Specifically, during operation of an engine, the more durable cobalt wear resistant coating, not the base material which may be steel or cast iron, is in sliding contact with a cylinder wall. The cobalt coating may be applied through, for example, electrodeposition or plasma spraying.

Abstract: A wear resistant coating is applied to the thrust surfaces and bore surfaces of a connecting rod. The wear resistant coating includes a polymer matrix, such as polyamide imide (PAI), solid lubricant, and hard particles including Fe2O3. The wear resistant coating is typically applied by spraying or rolling. The wear resistant coating adheres well to metal and provides lubrication. Thus, the wear resistant coating can reliably reduce wear, scuff, and seizure along the surfaces of the connecting rod as the piston reciprocates and crank shaft rotates during operation of the internal combustion engine. The likelihood of engine contamination caused by metal shavings from wear of the connecting rod is reduced, and the life of the connecting rod and engine is increased.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coated piston ring includes applying a layer of an aluminum-based material to an outside surface of a ring body formed of an iron-based material, such as steel. The layer of an aluminum-based material is applied by thermal spraying. The method further includes an environmentally friendly heat treatment process causing the aluminum-based material to combine with the iron-based material of the ring body and form a wear resistant coating of aluminum iron (Al5Fe2). The heat treatment process can include heating to a temperature of about 550° C. for 20 minutes so that the wear resistant coating achieves a hardness of HV 1000.

Abstract: A sliding element 20, such as a bushing or bearing, includes a sintered powder metal base 24 deposited on a steel backing 22. The base 24 includes a tin, bismuth, first hard particles 40, such as Fe3P and MoSi2, and a balance of copper. In one embodiment, a tin overplate 26 is applied to the base 24. A nickel barrier layer 42 can be disposed between the base 24 and the tin overplate 26, and a tin-nickel intermediate layer 44 between the nickel bather layer 42 and the tin overplate 26. In another embodiment, the sliding element 20 includes either a sputter coating 30 of aluminum or a polymer coating 28 disposed directly on the base 24. The polymer coating 28 includes second hard particles 48, such as Fe2O3. The polymer coating 28 together with the base 24 provides exceptional wear resistance over time.

Abstract: A process and apparatus utilizing at least one conformable anode (40) in a plating process to apply a plating to an article (10). A wire or other material suitable for an anode is shaped to conform to the approximate shape of a region of the article to be coated. The anode is powered by an electrical power source (44), and the article serves as the cathode. The anode and article are both immersed in a plating bath (38). The article and anode are rotated relative to one another about a central axis (22) of the article. The relative movement between the anode and the article causes a uniform plating (46) to be applied to selected regions of the article that pass the anode. Another anode (50) can be arranged in fixed relation with the article to cause plating to a separate selected region of the article concurrently with the other anode.

Abstract: A process and apparatus utilizing at least one conformable anode (40) in a plating process to apply a plating to an article (10). A wire or other material suitable for an anode is shaped to conform to the approximate shape of a region of the article to be coated. The anode is powered by an electrical power source (44), and the article serves as the cathode. The anode and article are both immersed in a plating bath (38). The article and anode are rotated relative to one another about a central axis (22) of the article. The relative movement between the anode and the article causes a uniform plating (46) to be applied to selected regions of the article that pass the anode. Another anode (50) can be arranged in fixed relation with the article to cause plating to a separate selected region of the article concurrently with the other anode.

Abstract: A multilayer sliding bearing includes a rigid metal backing having a metal bearing liner attached thereto. The metal bearing liner includes a metal bearing liner layer which is attached to the bearing surface of the metal backing layer and at least one metal overplate layer deposited over an outer surface of the metal bearing liner layer. The metal bearing liner layer has a layer of hard particles embedded in an outer surface thereof which is adjacent to the inner surface of the at least one metal overplate layer. The bearing may also include a barrier layer interposed between the metal bearing liner layer and the metal over plate layer to inhibit diffusion therebetween and/or promote adhesion of the metal over plate layer to the metal bearing liner layer. The invention may also include a thin metal protective coating layer over the outer surface of the bearing liner and backing layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating multi-layer bronze bearings includes laying down a first layer of copper-based powder metal material of a first composition onto a steel backing strip. At least a second layer of copper-based powder metal material of a second composition different than that of the first is laid down on the first layer, without significantly densifying the first layer. The layers are then sintered, cooled, and roll compacted to bond them to one another and to the backing, after which the layers are further sintered.

Abstract: A multilayer engine bearing (10) includes a steel backing (12) having a liner (14) of bearing metal of either copper-lead or aluminum alloys formed on the backing (12). A multilayer overplate (24, 124) is formed on the base lining member (16) and includes at least a first layer (28, 128) electrodeposited from a bath at a first current density to a desired thickness, and at least one additional layer (26, 126) electrodeposited from the same bath but at a different current density and to a desired thickness to yield a composite lamellar overplate structure having layers with differing deposit characteristics, such as hard and soft layers, generated from the same bath at different current densities.

Abstract: A method of fabricating multi-layer bronze bearings includes laying down a first layer of copper-based powder metal material of a first composition onto a steel backing strip. At least a second layer of copper-based powder metal material of a second composition different than that of the first is laid down on the first layer, without significantly densifying the first layer.

Abstract: A multilayer engine bearing (10) includes a steel backing (12) having a liner (14) of bearing metal of either copper-lead or aluminum alloys formed on the backing (12). A multilayer overplate (24, 124) is formed on the base lining member (16) and includes at least a first layer (28, 128) electrodeposited from a bath at a first current density to a desired thickness, and at least one additional layer (26, 126) electrodeposited from the same bath but at a different current density and to a desired thickness to yield a composite lamellar overplate structure having layers with differing deposit characteristics, such as hard and soft layers, generated from the same bath at different current densities.

Abstract: A multilayer engine bearing (10) includes a steel backing (12) having a liner (14) of bearing metal of either copper-lead or aluminum alloys formed on the backing (12). A multilayer overplate (24, 124) is formed on the base lining member (16) and includes at least a first layer (28, 128) electrodeposited from a bath at a first current density to a desired thickness, and at least one additional layer (26, 126) electrodeposited from the same bath but at a different current density and to a desired thickness to yield a composite lamellar overplate structure having layers with differing deposit characteristics, such as hard and soft layers, generated from the same bath at different current densities.

Abstract: A multilayer engine bearing (10) includes a steel backing (12) having a liner (18) of bearing metal of either copper-lead or aluminum alloys formed on the backing (12) to define a base lining member (20) of the bearing (10). A multilayer overplate (22, 122) is formed on the base lining member (20,120) and includes multiple lead-free soft layers (24,124) separated by lead-free hard layers (26,126). The relative thicknesses of the overplate layers may be controlled to provide a macro hardness gradient across the thickness of the overplate (122) such that, for example, the overplate (122) may be softer near its top region (130) as compared to its bottom region (132).