Eatonite™ is a laser-cladding technology used to provide corrosion resistance to the rod
of a hydraulic cylinder. A specially formulated powder is applied to the
cylinder rod and metallurgically bonded.
There
is minimal dilution on the rod material to provide the highest level of
corrosion protection available. Dilution refers to the reduction of chemical
concentration.
"Laser
cladding technologies were identified in the 1980s, but
Eaton
has advanced the technology to create a world-class coating with no
imperfections, no variations in depth, no adhesion issues and a closed
microstructure," says Eric Lai, product manager - XL Cylinders at Eaton.
To
verify the quality of the cladding through the entire depth, Eaton has also
developed a proprietary NDT (nondestructive testing) process.
Hydraulic
cylinders are used in the power generation industry. Their functions include
stabilizing oil rigs in choppy waters, rotating the turbine blades on a wind
turbine in the heat of summer and the cold of winter, and regulating water flow
of a hydro-electric dam in remote locations.
Exposure
of a cylinder rod exposed to these harsh environments could lead to failure of
the cylinder, and downtime of the equipment, costing up to $500,000 a day,
according to Eaton.
Competing
coating processes include high-velocity oxygen fuel thermal spray process,
plasma spray and electroplating.
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