The subject of coatings in motorsports is a hot topic, and has been for some time. Coatings have proven to be a 'silver bullet' in curing some problems, or knocking down obstacles that stand in the way of improved performance and reliability. There remains a lot of development activity in the development of coatings, and increasing willingness in motorsports to work with coatings companies to find the correct solutions to problems or to develop new coatings. PVD (physical vapour...
The matter of selecting the correct material for fasteners is an important one. The design engineer or engine development specialist has to be sure that the material is strong enough to resist the applied loads and have the fatigue resistance to continue in its role between engine rebuilds. There are a huge number of materials offered by manufacturers of fasteners depending on the application, service loads, environment and so on. The job of those working with internal combustion engines...
In researching a recent article on this subject in Race Engine Technology (issue 47, June/July 2010), I spoke to many companies and discussed all kinds of coatings. DLC has been around for a number of years now and its use is widespread; however, this coating still attracts a lot of R&D spending for process development. The aims of this are generally to produce an improved coating in terms of one or more parameters. It would be considered a worthwhile step forward in coating technology...
The contact area between the cylinder bore and the piston and its rings is of critical importance. The material and surface treatments on these components, as well as their design, affect the lubrication, friction and wear - and, as a consequence, have a direct effect on the output of the engine, not only in its absolute level but also in terms of its consistency over time. Moreover, reliability can be compromised if the wrong materials and surface treatments are chosen. Many years ago,...
In the recent coatings Focus article in Race Engine Technology (Issue 47, June/July 2010), there was brief mention of thermal dispersion coatings. The aim of these coatings is to eliminate surface 'hot spots' on components and thereby equalise the temperature. Their most common use is on cooling system components, although one supplier we spoke to said one of his customers found success using the coating on aluminium connecting rods, making them less prone to failure. In terms of...