Aerospace Coatings to Increase Bottom Line

Aerospace Engineers rely on Calico's high-performance coating technology for aircraft engines, critical aftermarket components and related parts. The top priorities for coatings in the aerospace industry are lightweight and durable. Lowering the weight of an aircraft improves fuel efficiency, which reduces gas emissions and lowers operating costs. Coatings also provide crucial protection against corrosion and damage – increasing the lifespan of aircrafts.

Few environments are harsher than those encountered in space. Advanced coatings solutions are essential to combatting extremes in temperature, friction, and vibration which all can threaten the integrity of mission-critical components. Calico’s aerospace coatings are specifically designed to withstand the unpredictable conditions of space.

Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) Coatings are a new technological development of Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) + Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) coatings. DLC coatings are carefully created to be humidity influence resistant, have an increased hardness, and a low coefficient of friction.

In recent years, DLC coatings have gained widespread commercial success. It is known that Carbon can exist in three allotropic forms. In a diamond crystal structure, Carbon is one of the hardest known materials. In a graphite crystal structure, Carbon is very soft and lubricous. DLC coatings combine these two different properties of diamond and graphite - hence possessing high hardness levels - in the range of conventional tribological PVD coatings (1500 - 3200 HV), coupled with a coefficient of friction which is 200-500% lower than that of conventional PVD.

Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Coatings have a positive presence in a wide range of industrial, non-industrial and cosmetic applications due to their increased hardness, low coefficient of friction, extreme temperature resistance and a multitude of color ranges. PVD coatings can be applied to many different surfaces including steels and other ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, glass, plastics, rubber, and elastomers.

Calico's PVD coatings are sound, eco-friendly, and customizable in structure. Our thin film technology also embodies our development in surface engineering. Our PVD coatings have a hardness level ranging from 1500-4500 HV, coupled with coefficient of friction ranging from 0.1 – 0.5), which minimizes friction loss and power consumption. The PVD systems and processes we have in place are designed for a broad range of parts and products used across numerous industries.

Aerospace Applications:

Hydraulic & Fuel system components
Gyroscope components
Airframe: Actuators

Advantages of PVD / DLC coatings:

High durability, scratch resistant finishes
Extreme hardness
Tarnish resistance
Low coefficient of friction
High operating temperature resistant
Appealing cosmetics
Range of colors

In addition to our DLC and PVD coatings, Calico’s aerospace coatings include a wide range of industrial, military, and commercial applications that can withstand the unpredictable conditions of space – coatings ranging from Chromium Nitride (CrN) to dry film lubricants to non-stick, Calico has created their diverse coating offering to be capable of just about anything.

Calico's coatings provide the needed edge for outstanding results. Their coating knowledge and expertise is in demand across numerous industries including the U.S. Military, aerospace, molds and dies, diesel engines and others. In these industries where performance is everything, Calico’s coatings provide the needed edge for outstanding results. Whatever performance challenges you face, Calico offers a coating solution. Calico Coatings, 5883 Balsam Ridge Road, Denver, NC 28037, Tech Line: 704.483.2202, CalicoCoatings.com.