Combines

So how does RocketCoat carbide compare to hard chrome?

RocketCoat carbide is three times more abrasion resistant than hard chrome, and rock chip damage can be repaired with basic spray fuse equipment. Many parts we have coated will probably outlast the combines in which they have been installed.


Potato Harvester

The knives on this two-ton-per-minute potato harvester are normally completely worn out at the end of a season—largely due to the destruction of the leading edges.

We coated the leading edges on all the knives with 60% plasma tungsten carbide. We then chromed half of them and coated the other half with 88% tungsten carbide RocketCoat. The plasma carbide took all the major impact wear and allowed even the hard chrome to finish the season with little appreciable wear. The RocketCoat carbide did not even polish in service.


Potato Seeder

Potato air seeders have multiple, expensive wear points, including the air valves, fan, fan housing, and planting shoes. Our tungsten carbide RocketCoat and thermoset polymer coatings can help prevent catastrophic fan failures, such as you can see at the lower left.

The set of six air valve bodies on this seeder costs approximately $4500 and lasts one season. The RocketCoat on this valve body shows no wear at the end of the 2005 planting season.


Tillers

Tillers present some brutal abrasion issues for exposed wear parts. Pulleys and rollers on these machines coated with RocketCoat tungsten carbide will likely never need replacing; this, in turn, will extend the life of the $1400 set of belts.


Rotary Mowers

We coated 84 mower blades for the largest grass seed producer in Oregon with 60% plasma tungsten carbide. The inserted photo shows one of these blades at the end of the 2005 harvest season. The plasma carbide shows virtually no wear.


Log Loaders

The front fork tips on this log loader in St. Maries, Idaho, used to wear out in as little as two weeks. The 3/8” of plasma tungsten carbide we applied to the fork tip protector plates will provide as much wear resistance as 7-1/2” of AR400 steel.


Earth Scraper

Earth scraper chain rollers suffer from extreme wear due to grinding abrasion.


Hammermill Fans

Fans coated with RocketCoat tungsten carbide, which is 50 times more abrasion resistant than mild steel. We spot repaired the fan on the far left with spray fuse carbide.

We coated the worn upper-left fan with RocketCoat, which lasted longer than a brand new fan.

The plasma carbide at the lower left provides the ultimate in wear protection.


Pumps

We used 2-1/2 pounds of plasma nickel to repair the suction end at the top left, which suffered severe cavitation damage. The thermoset polymer we then applied is both cavitation and corrosion resistant. The RocketCoat tungsten carbide we applied to the other unit is extremely resistant to abrasion and corrosion.

Due to severe abrasion, the worn out impeller located in the middle of the picture lasted only nine days. In contrast, the RocketCoat tungsten carbide coated impeller directly right of it shows no drop in pressure after five months in service.

Corrosion can take a terrible toll on certain industrial pump systems. The uncoated impeller, shown on the bottom far left, lasted 30 days. The RocketCoat version next to it has been in service for five months and counting. This same coating has been approved for a direct contact with extremely corrosive nuclear material.