Modern and future internal combustion engines generate new issues to solve.
Oils and additive packages, components size and surface finish, contact pressure and velocity bring new challenges for surface treatments and coatings. New generation coatings are available to provide combined solutions.

When it comes to vacuum coatings for automotive components one can consider two families:

• Carbon based layers to offer the lowest friction combined with wear resistance.
• Nitrides to focus on adhesive wear resistance (seizure).

Diamond Like Carbon coatings include hydrogenated DLC (a-C:H type) and hydrogen free DLC (ta-C) that both provide solutions to different issues that sometimes overlap. The choice can be made depending on the temperature (as high as 450°C), the oil and additives, the contact geometry…

• HEF Group is offering all Carbon based coatings types with a very large range of hardness and thickness to serve every application.