Targets for improvement
For-Life lubrication, noise damping, guaranteed functionality, avoidance of long-term damage, optimization.
People with responsibility for electromechanical and electronic components have already started considering epilamizing all the safety-related components in the machining process in order to avoid the likelihood of S.I.F. (surface infecting fluids) problems occurring later. This would enable the reliability of motor vehicles, for instance, to be improved further.
Lubricants used in the industrial sector today have to deliver an extremely broad performance spectrum. In addition to the actual tribological criteria such as the reduction of friction and wear, there is also a growing requirement to satisfy environmental conditions which just 10 years ago could not be satisfied. For instance, one such condition is temperature range. In the motor vehicles industry nowadays lubricants (these may be oils or greases) are used for lubricating the widest possible range of different bearing material which must be able to ensure safe functioning right through from -40 to +160°C with the additional requirement that they must generate the smallest possible amount of internal friction. Most importantly, at high temperatures problems occur with lubricants creeping. In this case epilamization is essential.
Benefits of Epilamization
The Epilamization of component surfaces that are to be lubricated may prevent lubrication loss or starved lubrication.
Lubricants cannot creep up on epilamized surfaces. Sensitive components remain lubricant free as a result, thereby preventing possible contamination or damage.
Strength of the epilame layer
* The resulting layer is extremely thin, approx. 0.00001mm.
* It is invisible to the naked eye and cannot be proved to exist without test fluid
Applications / Limitations
Materials:
The following materials can be epilamized: Metals, plastics, ceramics, jewels, elastomers, duroplasts, glass.
Fluorized materials like Teflon cannot be epilamized.
Fields:
Precision mechanics, micromechanics, nanotechnology
Technological fields:
Automotive, watches and clocks, instruments, space, aero-engineering, medical technology, optics
Components:
Bearings, axles, gear wheels, guides, roller bearings, plain bearings, seals, contact washers, housings, shafts, porous sinter bearings, collectors, switches, plugs, plug connectors, relays, contacts, lenses, mirrors, sensors
