Many aerospace suppliers are customers of Oerlikon Balzers’ PVD (physical vapour deposition) coatings, marketed under the brand name Balinit, and benefit from Balzers’ global network of over 130 coating centres. Oerlikon Balzers coating centres in France and Luxemburg are already Airbus-approved.
There are two principal applications for these coatings: cutting tools and components.
First, Balinit coatings improve milling and drilling of a broad spectrum of materials, and maintain tool hardness at high temperatures. A low coefficient of friction reduces cutting stress while maintaining tool wear resistance. Materials of central importance for the aerospace industry such as titanium and nickel alloys severely stress machining tools, thermally and mechanically. The company explains that high machining temperatures are, in part, caused by the low thermal conductivity of these materials: heat liberated during the cutting process cannot be removed quickly enough with the chips. Composite materials are being increasingly used to manufacture light-weight aerospace parts, such as for engines, chassis and structure development. Balinit-coated tools allow precision and high quality surfaces to be achieved with these hard-to-cut materials.
Second, aerospace components protected with Balinit coatings are said to exhibit excellent wear resistance, a low frictional coefficient, functional stability at high temperatures and improved corrosion and erosion resistance. Resistance to fretting and adhesive wear is critical for load-bearing components such as those in aircraft engines and landing gear - especially under poor lubrication conditions.
The company is exhibiting at Farnborough International Airshow, Hall 4, stand F30.
