Taking place in Stuttgart, Germany from 6-8 May 2008, Engine Expo is the most important international trade show for automotive, bus, truck engine designers and offers the most intense concentration of engine component manufacturers and technology providers anywhere in the world.
Bekaert is a supplier of high quality Dylyn® Plus diamond-like coatings (DLC) to the rapidly evolving automotive market. Combining the graphite and diamond structures of carbon, DLC coatings are inherently self-lubricating. This blend leads to a range of coatings that combine exceptional hardness and wear-resistance, with low friction.
DLC coatings in engine components for reduced friction and improved fuel consumption.
For Bekaert, the development of DLC coatings started in racing applications, where engineers were looking for solutions to high wear problems as a result of increasing contact pressure on engine components. Because Bekaert could not harden the components any further, the company began looking for other solutions to make the component’s contact surfaces harder, and DLC coatings provided a significant solution to this problem. DLC coatings have the advantage of adding not only a high hardness element but at the same time also low friction characteristics.
In addition, DLC coatings are very inert which means that the coatings do not react with the counterpart as the coating forms an amorphous carbon layer on the surface of the component.
An application where this technology is focussed at present is in the area of friction reduction, mainly in the valve train assembly and components. By considering the energy that is wasted through friction, the friction reducing DLC coatings will contribute to a more efficient engine, thereby decreasing emissions. The latest test results conducted by Bekaert conclusively demonstrate how Bekaert Dylyn Plus coatings effectively address customer needs for higher engine output and improved fuel consumption.
During the show, Mark Boghe, Product Market Manager Automotive/Racing Bekaert, will be available on the Bekaert booth to discuss with visitors the latest trends and developments in the reduction of frictional losses through the use of DLC coatings, resulting in lower consumption levels.
Michael De Maegt, General Manager Bekaert DLC anticipates a successful Engine Expo 2008: “We look forward to exchanging ideas and improvements with our existing customer base at Engine Expo 2008 and to sharing our vision about Bekaert Dylyn® Plus solutions with all interested parties.”
For more information, please visit the website at www.bekaert.com/bac.
