Sunnen and ANS Collaborate on Friction and Wear Reduction Technology

Sunnen Products Co. (St. Louis, Missouri) and Sweden-based Applied Nano Surfaces (ANS) have entered into a joint market development agreement to advance technology and applications based on the Triboconditioning process recently patented by ANS. The process is said to reduce friction and wear on various steel and cast iron surfaces while improving surface finish, preventing seizures and enhancing product life.

Triboconditioning is a combined mechano-chemical surface treatment process which uses a machining procedure to level off surface peaks and apply a friction- and wear-reducing compound to the component surface. Unlike spray coatings, the compound becomes an integrated part of the component structure at a nano level. The process is mechanically simple and can be performed with Sunnen precision honing equipment.

Key applications include automotive engine components such as valve train parts, cylinder liners, crankshafts and connecting rods as well as industrial applications such as hydraulic motors, rock drills, pumps, chains, gears and compressors.