Characterization of wear protective coatings

Arising from the necessity and the suitableness of wear protection by coatings, common coating techniques and treatment procedures are presented in a survey. For evaluation of the effectiveness of these anti-wear coatings a testing process was proposed consisting of three parts: (1) a test procedure to simulate the basic wear mechanisms; (2) investigations of the tribologically relevant material properties; (3) an integral wear test procedure. Taking thermal sprayed coatings and electrolytic depositions as examples, the characterization procedure is explained. The test systems designed at the Technical University Chemnitz-Zwickau for simulation of the basic mechanisms of adhesive and abrasive wear and long-term fatigue-wear are described with regard to the functional principle, the structure and the parameters to be ascertained.