High Precision Rollers
Last 3x Longer with Armoloy TDC

When Armoloy TDC is applied to a base material it provides three significant advantages:

  • Surface hardness 78Rc
  • Lubricity is increased by reducing the coefficient of friction 25 – 50%
  • Corrosion is reduced

Armoloy is only as good the base material that it is adhered to. Better base materials provide for even better results. For example, if you are using a treated tool steel that is reaching +62Rc—what can you expect? That is where the added lubricity can really stand out, as creating less friction reduces wear. Tool steels tend to be expensive, therefore, reducing wear on high strength tool steels can result in substantial cost savings.

Challenge
We have been working on a project over the past few years with high precision forming rollers. These rollers have a very high Rc, (well over 60Rc) and each line has an automated lubricating system. The company was typically averaging 2,000,000 lb of product before the rollers were completely worn and a new set had to be made. Each set of the high precision rollers was averaging $13,000 – $15,000 to manufacture. With multiple plants having multiple lines this was a large expense that was being considered a ‘basic operating’ expense.

Results
We coated the first set of rollers over 3 years ago and it is still running today. Through some experimenting it was determined that at 1,200,000 lb of product produced, the rollers are pulled and coated again. The cost to coat/recoat a set of rollers on average was $400. That first set that was coated just passed the 6,000,000 lb mark – 3 times the original base life generating over $40,000 in savings on the rollers alone—all because of the added lubricity from Armoloy TDC.

As a result, the company has been able to eliminate the automated lubricating system and the product has a reduced rejection rate. Additionally, because of the added lubricity the product does not drag and wear when it is formed by the rollers.

Understanding Burnishing
When Armoloy TDC is applied to a base material and then examined under a high-powered microscope it replicates a ball bearing surface. As the coating starts to burnish the lubricity increases. When Armoloy TDC is first applied it is a matte gray finish. When a rubbing or sliding application occurs the matte gray begins to shine – which is a good sign that there is not an alignment issue and the lubricity is increasing during the process. When the gray begins to shine, now you know this is not a premature wearing issue; rather your coating showing you that it is working!