Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Overview
NoWear INSOCOAT
2
Table of contents
The potential of surface refinement 4
Enhanced bearing performance 16
SKF coatings main functions 17
SKF bearings coatings overview 18
Conversion layers 20
Black oxide (BO) 20
Manganese phosphate (MnPh) 22
Zinc (calcium) phosphate (ZnPh, ZnCaPh) 23
Zinc-based layers (galvanic) 24
Galvanic zinc (Zn) 24
Zinc iron (ZnFe) 25
Zinc nickel (ZnNi) 26
Zinc-based layers (others) 27
Zinc flame spray (Zn FS) 27
Zinc cold spray (Zn CS) 28
Zinc flake 29
Chromium layers 30
Hard chromium (Cr) 30
Thin dense chromium (TDC) 31
Nickel layers 32
Galvanic nickel (Ni) 32
Electroless nickel (NiP) 33
Electroless nickel with PTFE 34
Hybrid Ni+Cr (NiCr) 35
Other galvanic layers 36
Copper (Cu) 36
Silver (Ag) 37
Tin (Sn) 38
SKF trademark layers 39
NoWear 39
INSOCOAT – electrical insulation 40
Paint layers 41
High friction coating (HFC) 41
C3H, C5MH anti-corrosion paint 42
UV cure paint 43
Special layers 44
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) and other
vacuum deposited layers 44
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) 45
Tungsten/molybdenum disulfide (WS2 / MoS2) 46
3
The potential of
surface refinement
– an introduction to coatings
Application demands and operating condi- To address these specific requirements, we The variety of available coating systems and
tions of rotating machinery are extremely offer a number of different specialty coatings: their different functionalities offer a broad
diverse To achieve the best performance for galvanic layers, chemically produced layers, range of possibilities Often a coating refine-
an application there are many different thermally sprayed layers, kinetically sprayed ment can be added to a specific product at
parameters to consider: dimensions, weight, layers, melted layers, vacuum deposited the customer’s request In sum, a quality
rotational speeds, load ratings, sealing and layers, dip coat layers and paint layers They product such as an SKF bearing can receive
lubrication, to name a few In order to all require completely different and often its final enhancement from a well-designed
satisfy a variety of operating conditions and sophisticated manufacturing approaches coating to help provide optimum performance
application performance requirements, Usually, even a layer readily available on the and reliability
SKF manufactures virtually every type of market needs significant adjustment to make
ball and roller bearing, offering them in it suitable for the requirements in a bearing
various cross sections application
• Corrosion resistance
• Wear resistance
• Surface hardness modification
• Surface roughness change
• Increased or reduced friction
• Sliding and emergency running properties
• Increased or reduced lubricant or fluid
adhesion (wetting properties)
• Electrical insulation
• Chemical shielding
• Aesthetic requirements
• Hydrogen barrier
4
Chemical treatment plant at SKF
5
Galvanic layers
By immersing workpieces and additional
anodes into electrolytes and connecting them
to an electric current, a galvanic coating is
produced Hard chromium (Cr) and zinc
nickel (ZnNi) are typical galvanic layers
6
Examples of common galvanic layers: Nickel (Ni):
Galvanic zinc (Zn), zinc-iron (ZnFe), By using nickel, a very tight (dense) layer is
zinc nickel (ZnNi): formed that gives good protection against
corrosion and chemical resistance, as long as
Layers of pure or alloyed zinc, mostly only
the coating is undamaged Nickel bonds well
1–10 microns thick, for anti-corrosion
to steel
purposes or for friction increase
7
Chemically produced
layers
For coatings that are produced by immersing
workpieces into chemical fluids, the layer is
chemically applied on all workpiece surfaces
that come in contact with the fluid
Water rinsing tanks in an SKF coating facility Chemical processing tank in an SKF coating facility
8
Examples of common chemically produced
layers:
Nickel-phosphorus (NiP)
NiP is a chemically produced nickel coating
By changing the amount of phosphorus,
hardness and corrosion protection can be
adjusted The resulting layer is tight and
resistant with a high protection level It can
be further modified with thermal post-
treatment by including soft or hard particles
in the layer A nickel strike bond layer (pure
Ni) is often used to enhance the bonding of
the coating on steel surfaces
9
Combination layers
To get the wanted properties, it might some-
times be necessary to combine different
coatings Not only with different coatings on
rings and rolling elements, but by getting
two different coatings on the same ring It is
also possible to get the same coating with a
different thickness in different parts of the
bearing
10
Thermally sprayed
layers
Some coatings are produced by thermal
spray This requires the coating material to
be in powder (metal or ceramic) or in wire
form (metal) The powder material is melted
by a heat source (e g flame, plasma, high
velocity oxygen fuel) and blown towards the
workpiece with a pistol-like device On the
workpiece surface, the drops solidify and
form a layer
The layer mainly adheres to the surface by INSOCOAT electrically insulating ceramic layer
produced by SKF
mechanical clamping, which means that the
workpiece surface needs to be roughened
prior to the thermal spray, for example by
sand blasting If tight tolerances are
required, a mechanical rework of the layer
is needed Zinc (Zn) or zinc-aluminium (ZnAl):
Examples of common thermally sprayed Zinc, applied in the flame spray process, is
layers: the classic approach to producing thick layers
of zinc without immersion
INSOCOAT and other aluminium oxide
(Al2O3) layers: Other metals or other ceramics:
Ceramic layers, mainly consisting of aluminium The atmospheric plasma spray processes
oxide (Al2O3) with additional specific additives, (APS) are mainly used to apply thick layers of
that can be used for electrical insulation armouring materials to workpieces
purposes Some variants are also useful for
outside corrosion protection or chemical
Zinc flame spray coated SKF bearing for a wind
protection They have high wear resistance turbine
In addition, inner ring raceways of spherical
plain bearings can be coated using plasma
or high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) with fine
layers of aluminium oxide, tungsten carbide,
copper-based alloys, etc to reduce friction
or wear for dry or lubricated sliding contact
11
Kinetically sprayed Vacuum deposited The workpieces need to be extremely clean,
so in addition to washing and cleaning before
layers layers the vacuum process, there is also plasma
etching in the vacuum chamber The work-
Similar to thermal spray, the coating material These coatings are produced by placing the
pieces are placed on racks in the chamber
comes out as powder clean workpiece into a vacuum chamber
and are typically rotated The size of the
where a thin and usually extremely hard and
The powder is blown through a Laval nozzle workpieces is limited to the size of the vacuum
wear-resistant layer is vapour-deposited
to reach supersonic speed (high-pressure chamber The layer is usually between 1 and
onto the workpiece surface
cold spray) When it collides with the work- 4 microns thick and can consist of several
piece surface, the metal powder welds on to There are several ways to form vacuum- sublayers and alloyed layers (metal doping)
the surface as a tight layer due to its high deposited layers In chemical vapour-deposited
kinetic energy (CVD) methods, a layer is formed through
chemical reactions from gases pumped into
Kinetically sprayed layers are strongly welded
the chamber However, this method often
to the workpiece, and cannot flake off, even if
requires temperatures above what is possible
the surface has not been made rough before
for hardened workpieces Physical vapour
being sprayed The resulting properties of
deposition (PVD) methods and plasma-
the layer make the method technically more
assisted chemical vacuum deposition (PACVD)
advantageous than thermal spray Both
methods are low-temperature alternatives
thermally sprayed layers and kinetically
sprayed layers are very thick and can range In the PVD process, solid targets of the layer
from 50 microns to several millimetres material are positioned in the vacuum
chamber and the material is vaporized using
Examples of applicable materials:
a physical method like sputtering off by ions
Titanium, zinc, copper, aluminium, tin, silver, or evaporating by an electron beam The material
stainless steel, white metal, various alloys, then condensates on the workpieces, giving
and mixtures of metal powders with them the required layer
non-metallic compounds
Kinetically sprayed zinc on a large-size SKF ring SKF bearings with NoWear PVD coated rolling elements
12
Examples of commonly used vacuum Metal-containing DLC (a-C:H:Me,
deposited layers: for example WC/C):
The “alloying” of DLC layers with various
NoWear: elements, mainly metals, can adjust and
A well-proven SKF solution delivering the improve their properties There is no sharp
advantages of a metal doped diamond-like transition line if these are still called DLC
carbon-based layer deposited by a PVD
process and customized for bearing raceway Ti-doped MoS2:
applications This solution consists of a Ti-doped MoS2
layer with a Ti bonding layer on the steel
Diamond-like carbon (DLC): substrate, deposited by a PVD sputtering
DLC is the generic name for a group of The coating is hard and provides low friction
carbon-based layers with compositions in dry, vacuum, and clean room
between graphite (sp2 carbon bonding environments
structure) and diamond (sp3 carbon bonding
SKF rolling element surrounded by plasma in
structure) They can either include hydrogen Chromium nitride and chromium a vacuum chamber
(classic, a-C:H) or no hydrogen (a-C, ta-C) carbonitride:
The composition influences hardness and Layers with high hardness that protect the
other properties In general, the hardness is surface against abrasive wear at an accept-
very high, and the friction is low The highest able friction level
hardness can be achieved by a maximum
amount of sp3 diamond structure (e g ta-C), Titanium nitride and titanium aluminium
but this reduces the presence of sp2 carbon nitride:
structure and weakens the dry lubrication
Layers known from drilling and milling tools
side effects An advanced approach is to
that have a very high hardness and wear
design a more complex coating consisting of
resistance, but also a significantly higher
multilayers with alternating or different
friction that is not applicable to raceways
amounts of sp3, sp2, hydrogen, and also in
some cases, metals A unique feature of DLC
coatings is their running-in characteristic
Although they are very hard, a small portion
of the coating surface transforms into a
low-friction graphitic contact zone that is
transferred onto the counter surface This
mechanism protects the counter steel sur-
faces that otherwise would be damaged by
the harder coating Combined with the hard-
ness, this effect results in an ideal solid
lubrication condition
13
Paint layers
Coatings can also be applied as paint layers
The most common variant is to roughen the
workpiece surface by sand blasting and
apply one or several layers of epoxy paint by
spray, roller or brush
A paint layer can also be added as baking Test coating on an SKF large size bearing
varnish, where a powder is sprayed onto the
surface and then melted to form a paint
C3H:
layer
This is the most common variant for painted
Zinc flake or aluminium flake coatings are outer surfaces of SKF large-size main shaft
sometimes also addressed as paintlike bearings
Sometimes zinc flake is misunderstood as a
zinc coating, but the zinc flakes are bonded The corrosion protection level is certified to
together by an organic or inorganic matrix be C3H acc to DIN EN ISO 12944
The material is applied by spray or immer- This gives medium level protection at mod-
sion and then needs to be heat cured erate effort
Examples of paint layers can be seen on
some types of SKF large-size wind turbine C5MH:
bearings, where humidity-curing polyure- This is the highest possible protection level
thane formulas are applied to the degreased
It is certified to be C5MH acc to
ground steel without prior sand blasting for
DIN EN ISO 12944
the purpose of corrosion protection Some
protection levels are certified to last more This gives long-time protection even in
than 15 years under very corrosive maritime humid and salty offshore applications
environments
14
SKF High Friction Polymer coatings
Coating (paint): Partial surfaces, mainly the bore of inner
rings and the outer diameter of outer rings,
A special patented invention, SKF High can be coated with a thick layer of polymer,
Friction Coating, is a humidity-curing e g polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Curing
polyurethane paint with zinc and conductive PTFE in a furnace requires a temperature of
titanium diboride 150 to 220 °C
If one paint layer is placed between two In cases where ring movement in the housing
flanges, which are then tightened, the hard is desired but fretting corrosion must be
titanium diboride particles are pushed into avoided, a basic approach is to use manganese
both surfaces and locked against relative phosphate or zinc phosphate
movement with strongly increased friction
If the requirements are even higher, a PTFE
The zinc content will prevent creepage, hinder layer will deliver long-term and low-friction
layer compression under overload, and add sliding properties without fretting corrosion
anti-corrosion properties propagation
At disassembly, indicator functions store
and reveal whether the previous mounting
pressure was correct
Ring area with SKF High Friction Coating
SKF High Friction Coating increases friction
and stability of connections to avoid sliding
or micro-movements even under lubricated
or wet conditions
15
Enhanced bearing
performance
– with SKF coatings
16
SKF coatings
main functions
– classification of coatings depending
on the main requirement
Anti-corrosion on non-raceway
surfaces (outer surfaces) Anti-fretting
Protection against
tribomechanical stress Electrical insulation
17
SKF bearings
coatings overview
– rolling bearings
18
– plain bearings
19
Black oxide (BO)
20
Coating process Black oxide
21
Manganese phosphate (MnPh)
The MnPh coating is a grey to black layer • Suitable for sizes up to 1 3 m (bearing rings) Property Value
that forms when the workpiece is immersed • Significantly improved smearing resistance
into a manganese phosphating fluid and the • Improved micro-pitting resistance Layer thickness 2–15 μm
iron in the workpiece reacts with the man- • Emergency lubrication properties (raceways < 5 μm)
ganese cations and phosphate anions in the
• Friction reduction (after running-in phase) Layer density ~2 g/cm3
fluid All workpiece surfaces are usually
• Reduction of detrimental water-in-oil Layer grammage 4–30 g/m2
coated, allowing bearing raceways to be left
effects Production 90–98 °C
uncoated by shielding or subsequent
machining • Improved oil adhesion temperature
• Protection under low-kappa and poor Layer temperature < 200 °C
lubrication conditions stability
• Good corrosion protection (oiled condition) Layer conductivity Insulating
Typical applications • Anti-wear and anti-fretting properties Layer hardness < 100 HV
SKF mainly applies MnPh to plain bearings Possible diameter < 2 200 mm (cages)
and cages, and on roller bearings with Coating process range < 1 300 mm (rings)
specially designed processes The coating is Possible width range < 350 mm (rings)
most common in the small to medium-size The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline
fluid, followed by several immersion steps Possible weight range < 400 kg (rings)
range and the use of MnPh in sliding appli-
cations is widely acknowledged In some including activation and acidic manganese Nominal composition Mn5H2(PO4)4
markets, the use of MnPh-coatings phosphating fluid, all below 100 °C The pro- Precise composition (Mn,Fe)5(PO4)2
increases in wind main shaft applications cess ends with cleaning, drying and preserva- (PO3OH)2
(e g 2 000 mm for cages) and in metal tion The layer pores can be filled with oil, DIN EN ISO 9227 <15h
industry applications (e g 1 200 mm for grease, wax, inhibitors or dry lubricants NSS salt spray (dry)
22
Zinc (calcium) phosphate
(ZnPh, ZnCaPh)
The ZnPh or ZnCaPh is a light grey to • Bearing remains functionable even if the Property Value
medium grey layer that forms when the layer is worn off
workpiece is immersed into a zinc or zinc • Some resistance to sub-surface fatigue
Layer thickness 2–15 μm
calcium phosphating fluid and the iron in the • Good corrosion protection (further (raceways < 5 μm)
workpiece reacts with the zinc (and calcium) increased with oil, grease, wax and
Layer density ~2 g/cm3
cations and phosphate anions in the fluid inhibitors)
• Anti-wear and anti-fretting properties Layer grammage 4–30 g/m2
All workpiece surfaces are usually coated,
allowing bearing raceways to be left (rust and wear protection also between Production < 85 °C
bearing and housing) temperature
uncoated by shielding or subsequent
machining • Calcium allows for very fine grains and Layer temperature < 200 °C
smooth, thin and precise layers stability
• Friction reduction Layer hardness < 100 HV
• Layer can be used as bonding layer
Typical applications underneath a paint layer
Layer conductivity
General standards
Low
DIN EN ISO 9717
and current use Not for bearings
SKF mainly applies ZnPh and ZnCaPh on Coating process Possible diameter
range
< 500 mm
roller bearings in railways ZnPh is preferred Possible width range < 500 mm
when a pure anti-corrosion function is The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline
required, and if calcium is added, as in fluid, followed by several immersion steps Possible weight range < 200 kg
ZnCaPh, the layers are smoother and thin- with or without activation, and acidic zinc or Nominal composition Zn3(PO4)2
ner with finer grains, which means that zinc calcium phosphating fluid, all below CaZn2(PO4)2
ZnCaPh is more applicable for raceways 85 °C The process ends with cleaning, dry- DIN EN ISO 9227 <15h
Most bearings with ZnPh or ZnCaPH are in ing and preservation The layer cavities can NSS salt spray (dry)
the medium-size range be filled with oil, grease, wax, inhibitors or DIN EN ISO 9227 < 72 h
dry lubricants NSS salt spray (oiled, layer <5 μm)
SKF carries out ZnPh and ZnCaPh applica- Resistance against Oil, grease, wax,
solvents
tions in a full immersion process for medium-
sized rings No resistance against Alkali, abrasives
23
Galvanic zinc (Zn)
Galvanic zinc is a thin, relatively soft, silver • Cost-efficient, basic and widely available Property Value
coloured layer that is used to increase static anti-corrosion coating
friction and corrosion resistance The zinc • The level of protection, friction and colour Layer thickness 3–15 μm
layer functions as a sacrificial medium which can be changed with added passivation
Layer temperature < 120 °C
corrodes first and therefore protects the stability
workpiece surface underneath (cathodic
Layer hardness < 150 HV
corrosion protection) Zinc layers thinner
than 15 μm can be easily achieved in the
Coating process Friction High
(no tolerance)
galvanic process The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline
fluid After that, they are etched, and an Production < 80 °C
temperature
acidic or alkaline electrolyte is used for the
galvanic coating The process ends with DIN EN ISO 9227 48 h – 200 h
Typical applications cleaning, passivation and preservation
NSS salt spray (max 360 h)
24
Zinc iron (ZnFe)
The zinc-iron layer is a thin zinc-based • Better anti-corrosion properties and Property Value
alloyed layer, with very high friction and chemical resistance than galvanic zinc
corrosion resistance The zinc layer functions (but less than ZnNi) Layer thickness 4–10 μm
as a sacrificial medium which corrodes first • Higher hardness and wear resistance than
Layer temperature < 120 °C
and therefore protects the workpiece surface galvanic zinc (but lower than ZnNi) stability
underneath (cathodic corrosion protection) • Thin layers < 5 μm can be applied on
Layer hardness < 180 HV
The ZnFe layer is slightly harder than zinc raceways
layers and has better corrosion protection • Less voluminous corrosion products than Friction High
(no tolerance)
and higher wear resistance thanks to alloying galvanic zinc
with typically 0 4–0 8% iron Production < 80 °C
temperature
Typical applications The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline Conductivity Yes
25
Zinc nickel (ZnNi)
The ZnNi layer is a thin zinc-based nickel • Better anti-corrosion properties and Property Value
alloyed layer that is normally metallic grey chemical resistance than galvanic zinc and
(depending on passivation) It is formed by ZnFe layers Layer thickness 3–10 μm
galvanic immersion and is harder than zinc • Higher hardness and wear resistance than
Layer temperature < 150 °C
and ZnFe layers thanks to alloying with galvanic zinc and ZnFe layers stability
12–16% nickel The ZnNi layer has better • Increased operating temperature
Layer hardness 410-450 HV
corrosion protection and higher wear resist- (compared to zinc layer)
(without tempering)
ance compared to zinc layers • Low risk of hydrogen embrittlement
Friction 0 25-0 3 (against steel)
• Thin layers (< 5 µm) can be applied on
SKF can either coat rings with uniform thick-
raceways Production < 80 °C
ness on all workpiece surfaces, or coat with temperature
• No voluminous corrosion products
defined reduced layer thickness on raceways
Possible diameter < 1500 mm
This means that the bearing outer surfaces range
can receive the maximum possible corrosion
protection while the inner surfaces (raceways) Coating process DIN EN ISO 9227
NSS salt spray
360-1000 h
26
Zinc flame spray (Zn FS)
Zinc layers have very high friction and corro- blasted in order to ensure a rough surface
sion resistance The typical application is for the zinc to clamp to The zinc powder or
corrosion protection of the outside of large zinc wire is molten and accelerated onto the
size main shaft bearings in the wind energy workpiece surface with compressed air
industry It also used for housings where a When the zinc droplets hit the workpiece
high anti-corrosion effect is required, and surface, they become solid again, and form
zinc is preferred over paint the layer Surfaces that are not to be coated
need to be protected with masking or shielding
before the flame spray process After the
flame spraying, the porous layer is usually
27
Zinc cold spray (Zn CS)
Zinc cold spray coatings are thick, dull silver • Suitable for bearings of larger sizes Property Value
coloured layers that give high friction and and many geometries without work-
good corrosion resistance For zinc spray piece-dependent tools Layer thickness 100–250 μm
coatings, the conventional flame spray • Possible to make a local coating or (multilayer)
method is used more often, but it has several a circumferential band Layer temperature < 300 °C
disadvantages It requires sand blasting • Excellent corrosion protection, better stability
Layer hardness < 200 HV
before coating, gives inaccurate tolerances, than porous zinc flame spray
has limited adhesion and results in a porous • Thick and geometrically precise layers Friction High
(no tolerance)
layer With cold spray coating, these dis- without thermal impact
Possible diameter > 420 mm
advantages are overcome • High friction where desired for mounting range
• Dependable and extremely high adhesion Conductivity Yes
Apart from zinc, other metals, like stainless
(welded structure, not just intermeshed) Hydrogen No
steel and mixed metals, can also be applied
• Low porosity, typically no painting or embrittlement
with cold spray They can be coated on work-
sealing required Corrosion resistance > C5MH
pieces as single layers or in multilayer sys- according to
• No need for sandblasting before coating,
tems The precise deposition technology DIN EN 12944
adheres to ground surfaces, no hard Layer bonding 50 MPa
allows not only accurate layers but also par-
particles, no precision loss strength (depending on substrates
tial coating of chosen areas and coating parameters)
• Little or no shielding and covering needed
since adhesion mostly steered by spray
angle
Typical applications • High-pressure fine cleaning after coating
with gas stream of 1000 m/s possible
and current use • Multilayer can increase the total chemical
resistance
Zinc cold spray coating is often used for
corrosion protection of the outside of large
size main shaft bearings in the wind energy
industry, or for housings where a high
Coating process
anti-corrosion effect is required Zinc cold The zinc cold spray layer is formed when zinc
spray and zinc flame spray are often used for powder is sprayed onto the workpiece surface
the same applications, but the cold spray at supersonic speed, which makes zinc
method is superior, both in process and particles weld to the substrate and to each
result other The supersonic speed is achieved when
particles are brought into a pressurized gas
stream which passes through a Laval nozzle
When they hit the workpiece surface, the
kinetic energy welds the particles to the
surface, without heating the workpiece This
forced collision results in a high layer density
with only a low number of small-sized pores
There is no need for either roughening of the
surface before the coating or sealing or
painting of the surface afterwards
28
Zinc flake
Zinc flake coatings are corrosion protection • Excellent anti-corrosion properties Property Value
coatings that look like dull zinc coatings The • No risk of hydrogen embrittlement
benefit of zinc flake coatings is that there is • Resistance against many solvents Layer thickness:
no risk of hydrogen embrittlement in the • Friction, chemical resistance and Basecoat 6–12 μm
substrate, which is unavoidable with galvanic appearance can be adjusted by the topcoat Topcoat 2–6 μm
Total 8–18 μm
zinc and zinc-alloy coatings At the same
time, the anti-corrosion properties for zinc Layer temperature < 180 °C
stability
flake coatings can exceed the levels of
galvanic zinc coatings
Coating process Layer hardness 350–370 HV
The zinc flake coating is similar to a paint Friction coefficient > 0 15
with very high zinc content (up to 85%) It can Production < 300 °C
be active or passive, with the emphasis on temperature
Typical applications cathodic or shielding protection Passivation Resistant against Wide range of
and current use can be with or without Cr(VI) The Cr(VI)-free
passivation is preferred due to environment,
solvents
DIN EN ISO 9227 < 1500 h
Zinc flake coatings are often used as corro- health and safety regulations (EHS) but it NSS salt spray
sion protection on outer surfaces against offers no self-healing effect Conductivity Yes
harsh environments, for example on housings, Lamellar zinc flakes (and sometimes also Hydrogen No
flanges, peripheral components, screws or aluminium flakes) are mixed into a binder, embrittlement
high-tensile bolts It is not recommended to typically silicon containing for example
apply zinc flake coatings on bearing raceways inorganic silicium oxide, to form a paint-like
fluid Cleaned workpieces are either
immersed into the fluid or sprayed with the
fluid When immersed, the layer thickness is
determined by slow centrifuging or
dip-spinning After application, the layer is
cured in a furnace at approximately 180–
300 °C To adjust the friction properties of
the layer, more steps can be added after the
immersion process
29
Hard chromium (Cr)
Hard chromium is a hard, silver-coloured • Gives good sliding contact between plain Property Value
layer that forms on the required surfaces bearing components
through an electroplating process The • High hardness and high wear resistance Layer thickness 3–15 μm
resulting chromium layer has microcracks, • Reduces friction for sliding applications
Layer hardness 800–1 200 HV
which means limited anti-corrosion proper- • Light anti-corrosion properties
Production < 85 °C
ties at low thickness • Light surface protection against environ- temperature
mental influences
Layer temperature < 400 °C
• Resistance against abrasive dirt stability
• Low adhesion for foreign substances to
Typical applications the layer
General standards
Not for bearings
DIN EN ISO
6158:2011
DIN EN ISO 4516
and current use DIN EN ISO 2819
Possible diameter Max 550 mm
Hard chromium plating is widely used in Coating process range
plain bearings under heavy static or alter- Possible width range Max 270 mm
nating loads or shock loads In a plain bearing, First, the workpieces are degreased in hot
Possible weight range Max 200 kg
normally the inner ring raceway is hard alkaline fluid, then electrolytically cleaned,
etched, and after that immersed in chromium DIN EN ISO 9227 < 40 h
chromium plated to increase the bearing life NSS salt spray (at 20 um)
Hard chromium coatings are used in a variety acid electrolyte The process ends with clean-
of industries: ing, removal of Cr(VI) and oil preservation
30
Thin dense chromium (TDC)
Thin dense chromium (TDC) differs from • High hardness and high wear resistance Property Value
hard chromium in its layer structure, prop- • Low friction
erties, and function While hard chromium • Good corrosion resistance Layer thickness 2–5 μm
has many microcracks and is not seen as a • Accepts wetting with lubricants
Layer hardness 700–1000 HV
tight and shielding layer, TDC does not have (Variants up to 1400 HV)
such a crack pattern and is much better in Production < 85 °C
protecting the substrate surface from envi-
ronmental influences and chemical attacks
Coating process temperature
Layer temperature > 300 °C
Furthermore, the TDC surface structure is The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline stability
tribologically beneficial It gives low friction fluid, and then either blasted with slightly Friction coefficient 0 16
and has better lubricant wetting properties abrasive powder or etched, and then (against steel)
0 12
than a hard chromium surface immersed in chromium acid electrolyte (against TDC)
(Cr(VI)) Potassium dichromate is used in the
TDC has a nodular structure with countless DIN EN ISO 9227 similar to 440 steel
process as a catalyst, for example to form a NSS salt spray
small hemispheres protruding from the sur-
thin chromium layer with the desired surface Conductivity Low
face This characteristic reduces friction and
structure at a lower current density and a
improves its lubrication properties It is also Hydrogen De-embrittlement
shorter coating duration The process ends embrittlement may be
possible to add a dry lubricant bonded coat- recommendable
with cleaning and preservation
ing on top of TDC layers (medium to low)
Typical applications
and current use
A TDC layer can be applied on bearing race-
ways and outer surfaces It is thus preferred
for applications where the risk of moisture
corrosion and chemicals attacks is high and
at the same time high wear resistance and
low friction are desired TDC-coated surfaces
can work with TDC-coated counter-surfaces
31
Galvanic nickel (Ni)
anti-corrosion or anti-wear properties But The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline 0 25–0 45
(lubr /dry against nickel)
serious anti-corrosion properties would fluid, often etched, then immersed in alkaline
require thick layers above 25 µm to eliminate Production < 80 °C
electrolyte for galvanic coating The process temperature
the effect of pores and impurities ends with cleaning and preservation If layer
DIN EN ISO 9227 < 48 h
hardness and wear resistance shall be NSS salt spray (at 5 μm thickness)
Galvanic nickel layer is silver-coloured with a
increased, or hydrogen de-embrittlement is Conductivity Yes
slight yellow tendency It is a pure nickel
desired, a tempering process step can be
layer, but its properties are similar to a NiP Hydrogen De-embrittlement
considered embrittlement may be
layer with low levels of phosphorus The recommendable
nickel layer resists water, thinned acids and
alkalines
Typical applications
and current use
Galvanic nickel layers are not suitable for
bearing raceways and are typically used on
non-functional surfaces where light
anti-corrosion, good anti-wear and high
adhesion properties are desired They are
often sublayers for adhesion promotion For
better anti-corrosion properties, high phos-
phorus NiP should be considered The
geometry of the workpiece should be simple
enough for the galvanic process
32
Electroless nickel (NiP)
33
Electroless nickel with PTFE
(NiP+PTFE)
Nickel phosphorus (NiP) or electroless nickel • Very low friction, self-lubricating Property Value
delivers hardness, adhesion, and shielding (dry lubrication), self-cleaning
properties, and it offers the possibility to add • Hydrophobic, no swelling by water Layer thickness 5–8 (15) μm
soft or hard particles to the NiP matrix to • Metal-like appearance and properties (whereof 2–3 μm pure NiP
as base layer)
change its properties PTFE is a linear polymer • Medium to good corrosion resistance
Layer hardness 350 HV;
of carbon and fluorine and does not show a • Noise reduction up to 550 HV
stick-slip effect but provides the layer with • Adhesion reduction (after thermal treatment)
a dependable low friction property A PTFE • No stick-slip effects Friction coefficient 0 15 (against steel)
content of 20–30% (by volume) functions as 0 05 (against NiP-PTFE)
(lubr /dry, against nickel)
a dry lubricant
Production < 90 °C
The grey coloured NiP+PTFE layer consists Coating process temperature
of two layers The first layer, also called the Layer temperature < 240 °C
The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline stability
support layer, is a 2–3 μm pure NiP layer
fluid and then immersed in the coating bath DIN EN ISO 9227 < 80 h
and, on top of it, a 5 μm NiP+PTFE is formed (at 5 μm NiP as base layer)
where the NiP layer is formed NSS salt spray
to a composite layer as the second layer The
autocatalytically Conductivity Yes
support layer increases corrosion protection
Hydrogen Low
and supports adhesion Typical phosphorus PTFE particles of 0 2–0 3 μm diameter are embrittlement
contents of the NiP layer are 8–12% stirred up to remain floating in the fluid, so
they add themselves to the growing NiP
matrix and form a layer with excellent sliding
properties
Typical applications After the layer formation, a thermal treatment
and current use can be applied for specific applications This
thermal impact leaves the PTFE undestroyed
Bearings with NiP+PTFE coating are mainly and unmodified
used in agricultural applications, where ring
movement is necessary and anti-corrosion
properties are desired In some cases,
NiP+PTFE coatings are also applied in food
industry and noise reduction applications
They are not recommended for use on
bearing raceways
34
Hybrid Ni+Cr (NiCr)
On plain bearings, the inner ring raceway is chromium layer that adds mechanical
usually plated with hard chromium to resistance
increase the bearing life In plain bearings
under heavy static or alternating loads and
also shock loads, where higher anti-corro-
sion properties are specified, Hybrid Ni+Cr is
used They are used in different applications:
• Automotive
• Railways
• Construction
• Agriculture
• Pumps and valves
35
Copper (Cu)
Copper is a soft, reddish gold-coloured layer, • Soft metal layer with emergency running Property Value
typically used as a bonding agent and sub- properties
layer under various coating systems Since a • As a sublayer, adhesion promoter for other Layer thickness 2–15 μm
copper layer cannot carry a high load, it can layers (mainly with cyanidic electrolyte)
Layer temperature 200 °C
only be used as a bonding layer underneath • Tension equalization between substrate stability (but chemically reactive)
an equally soft layer, such as silver and harder top layers
Layer hardness 35–200 HV
• Slight reduction of corrosion, and reduction
Copper has good emergency operating (typically 150 HV)
of tribo-oxidation
properties and can be compared to a dry Friction Relatively high, but
• Excellent electrical and thermal
lubricant It will wear under a sliding load, soft metal acts as
conductivity emergency lubricant
but it will slow down welding and lower the
• Surface levelling (mainly with acidic
risk of severe damage Its levelling ability, Production < 80 °C
electrolyte) temperature
together with geometry adaption under load
and wear, can lead to smoothened surfaces Conductivity Excellent
with good sliding properties
Coating process Hydrogen
embrittlement
De-embrittlement
may be
recommendable
The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline (process dependent,
low at alkaline variant)
Typical applications fluid, possibly etched, and then immersed in
an acidic or alkaline electrolyte for the galvanic
and current use coating Depending on the electrolyte, layer
properties vary Alkaline cyanidic electrolyte
Copper plating is used as steel cage coating, is used to achieve better bonding properties,
or in rare cases, ring or roller coating, especially while acidic electrolyte is used for surface
when lubrication problems between rolling levelling tasks The process ends with clean-
elements and cages are expected and risk of ing and post-treatment or preservation
seizure needs to be reduced There are other Unprotected copper will easily react and suffer
coating possibilities competing with copper from discolouration, which is why chemical
and the number of applications demanding colouration, passivation, painting or a top
copper is limited A silver layer is often used layer often is added after the copper plating
on top of the copper layer as a main func-
tional layer
36
Silver (Ag)
Silver is usually used with a copper sublayer • Soft metal layer with emergency running Property Value
to increase adhesion and to smoothen the properties
substrate surface Chemical resistance • Levelling or smoothening surfaces Layer thickness 2–6 μm
against many acids and alkalines and soft • Dry lubrication properties, applicable at
Layer temperature < 850 °C
metal properties makes silver a potential high temperatures and when in a vacuum stability
choice for dry lubrication and chemical • Excellent electrical conductivity
Layer hardness 40-120 HV
shielding Gold plating delivers even better • Good corrosion protection with undamaged
(alloyed up to 200 HV)
chemical protection but is often too expensive, layers, mainly against chemicals (moderate
Friction High
while silver offers significant resistance at a alkaline and acidic)
(no tolerance)
moderate price
Production < 80 °C
On steel substrates, a silver layer is typically temperature
plated with a copper bonding sublayer, which Coating process Conductivity Excellent
gives good adhesion On brass substrates,
The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline Hydrogen De-embrittlement
however, no sublayer is required As it is a embrittlement may be
fluid, possibly etched and then immersed in
soft layer, silver will wear under a sliding recommendable
electrolytes for the galvanic coating of copper, (process dependent,
load, but it will slow down welding and lower low at alkaline variant)
followed by silver The process ends with
the risk of severe damage that can be caused
cleaning and preservation
by lubrication starvation
To further enhance hardness, silver can be
alloyed with copper The layer can then reach
160–200 HV but its dry lubrication properties
Typical applications are reduced Besides galvanic coating, there
and current use are also other layer forming methods such
as vapour condensation
Its use is mainly limited to the plating of steel
cages and, in rare cases, also rings for certain
demanding applications Such applications
can be used when lubrication problems
between rollers and cage are to be expected
or additional safety is desired, for instance in
aerospace applications In some cases,
hybrid bearings with silver-coated rings and
ceramic rollers can be considered In high
temperature applications, vacuum applica-
tions and in the food industry, dry lubrication
with silver is beneficial to increase opera-
tional safety
37
Tin (Sn)
Tin is a dull grey silver or shiny silver coloured description Property Value
layer Tin can exist in different forms (alpha,
beta, gamma) It disintegrates below 13 °C, • Soft metal layer with emergency running
Layer thickness 2-30 μm
gets brittle at 160 °C, and melts at 232 °C properties, dry lubrication function
(galvanic < 3 μm)
This significantly limits the applicable • Excellent electrical conductivity
• Surface levelling or smoothening Layer temperature
temperature range stability
• Good corrosion protection if the layer is ą-tin (inadequate) < 13 2 °C
Tin layers are used in the same way as copper undamaged, mainly at thicker layers ß-tin (applicable) 13 2–162 °C
or silver Being a soft metal in the given ƴ-tin (inadequate) > 162 °C
• Good in contact with aluminium
intermediate temperature range, tin layers Layer hardness 20–30 HV
have temporary dry lubrication properties, are Friction Relatively high, but
able to fill pores and smoothen the surface,
and deliver some anti-corrosion properties
Coating process soft metal acts as
emergency lubricant
as long as the layer is not damaged The workpieces are degreased in hot alkaline Production < 80 °C
temperature
fluid, possibly etched, and then immersed in
an acidic or alkaline electrolyte for galvanic Conductivity Yes
coating The process ends with cleaning and
Typical applications preservation
Hydrogen
embrittlement
De-embrittlement
may be
recommendable
and current use With the galvanic process, the tin layer thick- (process dependent)
ness is typically at or below 3 µm Thicker
Tin coatings are rather unusual When they
layers up to 30 µm can be achieved by other
are used, it is mainly for plating of steel
immersion processes, like hot dip tinning
cages for certain applications, especially
when lubrication problems between rolling
elements and the cage are expected In a few
cases, tin layers are also applied as low-level
anticorrosion layers, for example in composite
plain bearings
38
NoWear
39
INSOCOAT – electrical insulation
INSOCOAT is an electrical insulating layer The main advantages of INSOCOAT are Property Value
Bearing components with complex geome- related to electricity resistance
tries can be coated and in a rolling bearing Layer thickness 100–300 μm
• Insulation against electrical current
usually the non-functional surfaces of either
• Prevents the functional surfaces from Layer operating < 150 °C
the outer ring or the inner ring are coated temperature
electrical erosions Nominal operating conditions
temperature (t) ≤ 40°C
• Provides corrosion protection for the relative humidity (rH) ≤ 60%
40
High friction coating (HFC)
HFC is a one-layer paint, about 35 μm thick • Suitable for large sizes e g 4 0 m Property Value
It is applied with roller or spray to ground • Suitable for many geometries
precision steel surfaces Only surfaces that • No need for workpiece dependent tools Surface roughness Ra 0 4–1 6 μm
do not come in contact with the raceways • Dependable and high friction value before coating ground / fine
machined
can be coated The paint consists of humidity- • Resistance to vibrations and microslip (3 5 μm hard turned)
curing polyurethane as a bonding matrix • Resistance to oil and many chemicals
Specified surface energy > 72 mN/m
with zinc as anti-creep and load carrying • Corrosion protection for the joint surfaces before coating
additive and titanium diboride as friction • Only one side needs to be coated
Dry film thickness (matrix) 35 (+10 / –5) μm
particles • Indicator function protocols correct
mounting pressure Compressibility 5 μm (100 MPa)
7 μm (300 MPa)
• No prior sand blasting necessary, adheres
to fine ground surfaces Wet film thickness (matrix) Dry film thick-
Typical applications • Not electrically insulating
ness + 40 %
Particle size as top peak ~ 100 μm
and current use thickness
High friction coatings are usually found Coating process Particle hardness Knoop HK0 1:
2 600 N/mm2
between inner rings and on the outside faces Mohs 9 5
of Nautilus large-size bearings (tapered The surfaces need to be flat precision
Recommended 100 N/mm2
roller bearings) The HFC paint layer machined as the paint has a limited possibility surface pressure (MPa)
increases the friction coefficient between of compensating for deep scratches or
Possible surface 50–250 N/mm2
the steel surfaces and avoids unintended parallelism errors and the friction particles pressure range (MPa)
movements between inner rings or between need to intrude into both surfaces An
Tested up to 500 N/mm2
the bearing and its surrounding structures advantage for bearing rings is that sand- surface pressure (MPa)
An ideal combination would be both surfaces blasting is carried out prior to painting
Guaranteed friction >03
having the same hardness, but even the First, the surface is cleaned to the highest coefficient (under defined
circumstances)
combination of hardened steel against surface energy with solvents and then the
synthetic material works Only one of the HFC is applied to the surface Special prop- Friction coefficient test 0 30–0 50
two functional surfaces is coated with HFC results (dry / oiled /
erties and indicators included in the paint greased + against steel /
This coating is most common in the main make it possible to keep the layer thickness zinc / resin)
shaft bearings of wind turbines The wind within tight tolerances The one-component Period of further initial < 72 000 cycles
industry was also the main driver of the paint then hardens through a chemical reac- friction increase (training
improvement) under
development of HFC tion triggered by air humidity After hardening,
oscillation
the paint is mechanically and chemically stable
with high adhesion In addition to thickness Oscillation and vibration Up to 5 Mio
tests cycles
and drying indicators, the paint also includes
a pressure indicator After disassembly, it can 10 μm sliding oscillation > 72 000 cycles
without friction drop
easily be seen if the required pressure has (500 N/mm2)
been applied to the surfaces
2 μm sliding oscillation > 1 4 Mio cycles
without friction drop
(500 N/mm2)
Adhesion to ground 2–5 N/mm2
surface, standard (MPa)
formula
Adhesion to ground 5–10 N/mm2
surface, additives (MPa)
formula
41
C3H, C5MH anti-corrosion paint
SKF anti-corrosion paint systems consist No sandblasting is carried out prior to paint- Property Value
of 2–7 layers in the range of 80–450 µm ing so there is no risk of hard particles
thickness, applied with roller or spray on remaining in the bearing and the geometry Thickness:
fine turned or ground steel surfaces Only does not deteriorate C3H 80 μm
surfaces that do not come in contact with C5MH 450 μm
First, the surface is cleaned to high surface Layer temperature < 150 °C
the raceways can be coated
energy with solvents and then the paint is stability
manually rolled or sprayed on the surface Possible diameter Suitable for large
The layers are polyurethane-based with range sizes e g 4 0 m
42
UV cure paint
UV cure paint is translucent and will stay so • Fast in-line process with instant curing Property Value
even if it is coloured according to require- • Parts can be handled directly after coating
ments Most UV cure paint systems are • No volatile organic compounds (VOC) Layer thickness 15–25 (40) μm
based on acrylated polyester, polyether, • High flash point
Production 40 °C
polyurethane, or epoxy compounds Since temperature
UV cure paint layers need to let UV light
Resistant against Corrosion,
penetrate, the possible layer thickness and
composition are limited, resulting in a
Coating process environmental
influences
medium anti-corrosion level at best UV cure paint is sprayed on to clean work- DIN EN ISO 9227 96 h
pieces Then energy generated by UV lamp NSS salt spray (variants up to 350 h)
UV cure paint does not dry from time-
systems activates the coating to achieve the Conductivity No
consuming evaporation of solvents or water
cure In the curing process, photo initiators
but hardens instantly when you apply ultra- Hydrogen No
are cracked by high-energy radiation with embrittlement
violet (UV) light with adequate wavelength
adequate wavelength and thus produce
and energy The fast curing method can fit
reactive particles The reactive particles
the cycle time of a line production
initiate radical or cationic polymerization,
changing the structure from low-molecular
to high-molecular in seconds Organic or
Typical applications inorganic pigments can be added to a UV
paint, as long as radiation can pass through
and current use Moreover, an increased temperature makes
molecules more movable, so a higher degree
The typical use of UV cure paint is when a of polymerization and final hardness can be
paint coating needs to be applied in-line in a reached before the reaction ends in frozen
production channel, matching the machining state
cycle times Using a UV cure paint is a good
solution when there is no time for conven-
tional curing and drying One example is the
production of hub bearing units
43
Diamond-like carbon (DLC)
and other vacuum deposited layers
Description Diamond-like carbon and other vacuum deposited layers
Coatings of diamond-like carbon (DLC) are Property Value (DLC) Value Range (others)
carbon-based layers with compositions con-
taining a mixture of graphite and diamond Layer thickness 1–3 μm 1–10 μm
structures They can either include or Layer hardness 1 500- 2800 HV 1 000–3 000 HV
exclude hydrogen Their composition influ-
Layer composition Amorphous hard carbon
ences the properties of the coatings In gen- (with bonding sub-layer)
eral, they have high hardness, and low fric-
Layer temperature stability 300 °C 150–300 °C
tion The highest hardness can be achieved
by a maximum amount of diamond struc- Friction coefficient 0 1–0 2 (dry) 0 05–0 3 (dry)
ture, but this weakens the dry lubrication Possible ring diameter range max 700 mm max 800 mm
effects The coating mixture can be adjusted
Possible roller diameter range max 170 mm
according to the application
Possible ball diameter range max 50 mm
A unique feature of DLC coatings is their
Resistance against contamination,
running-in characteristics A small portion of poor lubrication
the coating surface transforms into a
low-friction graphitic contact zone that is
transferred onto the counter surface This
mechanism protects the counter steel sur-
faces that otherwise would be damaged by
the harder coating
Typical applications Features and benefits
CrN and CrCN coatings are examples of very
and current use • High sliding and adhesive wear resistance
• High load carrying capacity
hard layers with excellent adhesion, chemi- DLC coatings are designed for high wear • Excellent abrasion protection
cal and mechanical resistance, low friction conditions and poor lubrication situations • Surface protection at poor lubrication
and anti-wear properties CrN is also used Due to their low friction coefficient, they are • Low friction
as bonding sub-layer ideal for sliding parts in engine components, • Insensitive to contamination
At SKF, we can produce and deliver more compressors, linear drives, cages, bearing • Reduced need of extreme pressure (EP)
vacuum deposited layers than described shafts and bushes Typical applications and anti-wear (AW) additives in the
here Contact SKF for more information include aerospace, automotive and racing lubricant
CrN and CrCN coatings provide high hard- • Reduction of smearing at low load condition
ness, friction reduction, strong protection
against abrasive wear, protection during
poor lubrication situations and against oil Coating process
contamination Typical market applications
are engine parts, but especially CrN is used After intensive cleaning the workpieces are
as bonding promoter underneath other vac- placed in a vacuum chamber, where several
uum deposited layers layers are applied on the bearing compo-
nents’ surfaces with a physical vapor deposi-
tion (PVD) or plasma assisted chemical
vapor deposition (PACVD) process
44
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
When bearings are exposed to a constant • Excellent anti-fretting and sliding Property Value
movement in the housing or on the shaft, properties for bores or outer diameters
conventional sliding layers such as manga- • Very low friction Layer thickness 10–20 μm
nese phosphate or zinc phosphate may • No stick-slip behaviour
Layer hardness Shore D55
reach their limits • Good corrosion resistance
• Excellent chemical resistance even Friction coefficient 0 05
A PTFE layer is a polymer layer with excel- (dry, PTFE vs steel)
against aggressive substances
lent sliding properties, very low friction and
• Insulation Layer temperature < 260 °C
no stick-slip properties It has high elasticity stability
and primarily performs elastic deformation
Resistance against Aggressive
under stress Slidable polymer chains in the
molecules make PTFE a dry lubricant, which Coating process substances,
acids
can even transfer material to its sliding Conductivity No, insulating
First, the workpiece surface is cleaned and
countersurfaces
roughened PTFE powder is then prepared Hydrogen No
embrittlement
With a PTFE coating the bearings receive through a powder dispersion system and
longer lasting protection and significantly sprayed onto the surface with air atomized
increased resistance against fretting and spraying or electrostatic spraying The layer
fretting corrosion is formed through thermal sintering After-
wards, it is possible to get a final dimensional
adjustment by machining
Typical applications
and current use
PTFE coatings provide bearings with strong
and permanent anti-fretting properties in
bores or on outer diameters of bearing rings
It is typically preferred in vibratory
applications
45
Tungsten/molybdenum disulfide
(WS2 / MoS2)
46
Customization and innovation
The coatings shown in this guidebook do not represent the complete SKF coatings
offer Additional coatings are available, so please contact us to discuss your coating
requirements if they are not fully met with the coatings presented in this guidebook
Some coatings are not in the SKF portfolio but can be produced and delivered on explicit
customer request SKF is always interested in receiving a convincing business case that
can justify the consideration of a specifically tailored inventive coating solution
The size ranges given in this document are mostly related to current production and
not technological limits Size increase may be possible at short notice
skf com
® SKF, INSOCOAT, NAUTILUS and and NoWear are registered trademarks of the SKF Group