Solutions

Wear resistance

Ceramic, cemented carbide (WC), or other material with high hardness is deposited to form a strong wear-resistant coating on the substrate. The coating reduces wear and tear caused by abrasion and significantly extends the life of both the production equipment and components. Applying the most effective coating for the application provides consistent performance even under high temperatures, high loads, and in corrosive environments, which both reduces maintenance costs and improves productivity.

Corrosion resistance (corrosion protection)

Our coatings and thermal spraying technologies enhance equipment and component corrosion resistance and help ensure consistent and long-term operation. The coatings exhibit excellent durability and prevent degradation even in harsh environments, such as corrosion caused by chlorides, sulfides, or other chemicals. Our corrosion-resistant coatings are also often used for various types of large equipment, including petroleum refining and chemical plants, offshore structures, highways, and boiler panels.

Lubricity

Bearings and other components are lubricated with low-friction, low-seizure alloy materials. Coatings with moderate porosity can also be applied to increase lubricating oil retainment. We also have low friction coefficient oil- and grease-free coatings, such as diamond-like carbon (DLC).

Low-friction, low-seizure coatings reduce wear and heat generation, which lowers the load on equipment and extends equipment life.

Thermal properties

Applying coatings of materials that remain stable in high-temperature environments protects mechanical parts from oxidation and corrosion when exposed to high temperatures for extended periods of time. Materials with low thermal conductivity provide porosity that acts as a thermal barrier and protects the substrate from high-temperature fuel gases. Highly efficient heat transfer functions can also be achieved with metallic and other coatings with higher thermal conductivity than wood or by applying coatings with high radiation rates.

Demolding property / Water repellency

Coating using a material with a small surface free energy creates a surface with water repellency, oil repellency, and demolding properties. Coatings on resin molding dies prevent materials from clinging to the dies, which reduces maintenance frequency and improves product yield. Controlling the surface shape (contact area) can also improve functionality, and coatings suitable for medical equipment and food machinery can also be formed.

Electrical properties

Thermal spraying technology also meet customer needs for specific electrical properties for ceramics(insulators), metals (electrical conductors), and a wide range of materials. Applying insulating materials on the surface of bearings improves the durability of parts. Thermal spraying layers of insulating and conductive materials creates a heater preventing electric corrosion caused by electrical leakage from motors or generators, thereby enhancing product functionality.

Dirt and sand wear resistance

Coatings with excellent wear resistance and toughness protect the substrate from wear and cavitation erosion caused by dirt and sand.

Wear-resistant coatings increase durability and enable long-term continuous operation of runners and vanes used in hydroelectric power generation. Salt bath treatment creates a thin, hard coating on workpieces with complex shapes, such as agricultural machinery, that protects the substrate from dirt and sand abrasion.

Build-up resistance

Hearth rollers in annealing lines accumulate iron and manganese oxides from steel plates, which build up and cause reactions on the roll surfaces that lead to product defects and reduces quality. Coating the rollers with ceramics and cermet films that inhibit iron and manganese oxide reactions lowers buildup and enables steady operations.

Electromagnetic properties

Magnetic alloy coatings enable electromagnetic induction heating (IH) even for materials without magnetic properties. Selective application of magnetic alloy coatings, for example on the specific parts of an aluminum rice cooker that will be heated, can reduce costs while also making products lighter.

Biocompatibility

Thermal spraying is also used for coating workpieces with biocompatible materials less likely to be rejected by the body. Coatings are commonly applied to artificial bone (implants) to promote physical compatibility and accommodate the integration of new bone growth. Coatings can also be porous and porosity can controlled for the specific purpose.

Plasma-erosion resistance

Ceramic coatings on semiconductor manufacturing parts and equipment dramatically improve resistance to plasma erosion, both reducing airborne dust particles and extending equipment life. We are developing coating materials and processes to further suppress dust emissions and meet the requirements for further miniaturization of semiconductors.

Semiconductor & FPD

Thermal spraying and functional coating processing are widely used for semiconductor and flat panel display (FPD) components. Thermal spraying is critical to preproduction silicon wafer etching (forming circuits on silicon wafers) to prevent dust generation and electrostatic adsorption inside dry etching equipment. Silicon wafer coater/developers that apply photosensitive agents (resist) also require coatings to prevent the agent from adhering to the wafers.

Thermal and other coating technologies must continuously evolve to meet the specification of increasingly miniaturized and multi-layered semiconductors. Our technological advances are enabling increased precision and quality consistency in semiconductor manufacturing processes while also contributing to higher product yields.

Iron & steel

Our coatings support the stable production of high-quality steel sheet and plates, such as high tensile-strength steel sheets used in automobile bodies. Coatings also reduce the weight of steel manufacturing equipment.

Machine parts in steel production lines are exposed to high temperatures, severe wear, and corrosive environments. Thermal spray technology is essential to ensuring the stable production of products and provides essential functions, including build-up resistance for furnace rolls, corrosion resistance for sink roll, and wear resistance for rolling mill rolls. Thermal spray coatings also improve factory environmental performance by enabling severely worn parts to be reused by recoating them to their original functional dimensions.

Medical equipment

Porous thermal spray coatings on metallic artificial bone (implants) promote physical compatibility and accommodate the integration of new bone growth. Functional thin coatings are also being developed for use for surgical energy devices to prevent blood and tissue adhesion and provide insulation to electrical currents.

Power generation

Thermal spraying coatings on environmentally friendly boilers and battery equipment plays an important role in improving equipment durability and operating efficiency by providing strong wear and corrosion resistance to the surface of the equipment parts, reducing both wear and deterioration. The coatings are particularly effective for adding durability to components used in high-temperature corrosive environments, such as boilers and turbine blades, which enables equipment to be used longer, reduces maintenance frequency, and improves energy and operating efficiency.

In addition, applying thermal spraying to runners and pump parts for hydroelectric power generation reduces wear caused by sand and slows degradation. This allows smooth equipment operation over a longer period and reduces maintenance costs.

Transport machinery

The transport machinery industry uses thermal spraying coatings to provide wear resistance, heat resistance, and corrosion resistance. Rotating equipment such as engine parts and bearings, automotive molds, and aircraft parts each require coatings for their specific operating environment. Our thermal spray technologies provide a wide range of characteristics, including improving the durability of automotive molds, improving the heat resistance of aircraft parts, and preventing electrolytic corrosion of bearings.

Pulp & paper

The pulp and paper manufacturing process presents a variety of challenges, including wear and corrosion caused by raw materials and adhesion of paper dust and additives. Paper manufacturing often uses very large equipment where coatings are used to extend the equipment life, which reduces maintenance frequency and potentially dangerous work activities as well as costs. Since large equipment is not readily movable, we are capable of conducting all coating process on-site, from thermal spraying to finishing.

Petrochemical plants

Thermal spray coatings play a key role in protecting equipment used in petroleum refining and chemical plants, where process fluids often cause internal corrosion and erosion of pump components. Our coatings are especially effective for large equipment parts, such as atmospheric distillation columns, offering strong resistance to corrosive gases and abrasive solid particles.

Plastic & film

Plastic and film industry manufacturing equipment must be wear- and corrosion-resistant and provide demolding properties. Our thermal spraying technology maintains the mirror surfaces of rollers used in the stretching process, which is essential to product quality. Coatings are also used to prevent wear and corrosion of extruder screws and cylinders, and as a dielectric layer for corona treater rollers.

Construction

Large structures in coastal areas, such as bridges, port facilities, and steel towers, are prone to rust due to wind, rain, and salt damage. To slow the progression of corrosion, we apply a metal coating (base metal) that ionizes more easily than the structure material. Thermal spraying an anti-corrosion coating extends the life of these structures and maintains their appearance.

Food production

Food production machinery employs various surface treatment technologies to improve wear resistance, inhibit adhesiveness, and promote powder fluidity. The numerous coating processes we supply to the food production industry include spraying iron-based materials on aluminum rice cooker parts to enhance electromagnetic induction heating and applying internal coatings to roasting equipment to add a radiation effect and enhance heating efficiency.

Cutting tools

Coating technology is essential for making cutting tools heat-resistant, hard, and tough (resistant to chipping). We use physical vapor deposition (PVD) to provide a thin coating with higher hardness than the base material, which enhances both its hardness and toughness while also extending the tool life, improving machining accuracy, shortening cutting time, and improving lubricity.