PROBLEM
Peerless Chain Company makes wire-based products including chain, wire forms, and automotive traction aids. Roger Gabrych, supervisor of plant services, constantly looks for ways to maintain the company’s processes and improve its products. He noticed that the dies used to form chain links did not last as long on the production line as he thought they should.
Solution
Chain forming involves high pressure and abrasive material, both of which can cause premature die wear. Thermal diffusion carbide coating extended the service life of chain forming dies but chipped easily. A titanium nitride coating added hardness but had adhesion problems. When Peerless tried FortiPhy™ XVD coating, the dies lasted more than twice as long as before.
It really is possible
According to Gabrych, uncoated dies produce about 1.5 million chain links before wearing out. The thermal diffusion carbide coating improved die life to 2.5 million hits but was unreliable. The dies coated with FortiPhy XVD produced 4 million links before going out of tolerance. In other words, the Phygen coating increased die service life by 266 percent.
service life improvement
“Phygen looked at our operation and recommended the right solution. We received excellent service, and their lead times were very good.”