Hard Coatings and Coating Processes for the Automotive Industry

Abstract

Thin film coatings have over the years found a way into a variety of applications in the automotive industry. First applications of carbon-based coatings (DLC) were introduced for fuel delivery systems in the mid-1990s, followed by engine components a few years later. DLC coatings for fuel injection components and engine components such as valve tappets, cam followers, and piston pins represent the bulk of the mainstream applications and have become a de facto standard for many automotive manufacturers. The next generation of coatings for the automotive industry will be designed to interact with additives in fuels and engine oils. Of particular interest are tribo-chemically active coatings, which promote the formation of beneficial tribological films. Besides carbon-based coatings, the chapter reviews coating applications in turbochargers. The turbochargers are very efficient devices to boost power output of combustion engines, thus enabling engine downsizing and respective gain in fuel consumption. Due to the unique operating conditions, turbochargers are exposed to various mechanical challenges at normal and elevated temperatures. Potential applications of hard coatings for wear protection in turbochargers are reviewed. Finally, an application of hard coatings for manufacturing technology of catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters is discussed.