Clutch body & lock

The body works with the latch (metal-metal friction, under a load of about 4-5kN). Both elements are made of bronze. The client was looking for a solution that would guarantee the lifespan of these elements for about 20 years (around 1 million working cycles). To achieve the required lifespan, it was necessary to harden the cooperating surfaces. The cooperation of two surfaces made of bronze did not guarantee the required lifespan (150 thousand cycles), and other solutions (screw-on overlays made of Hardox steel or spraying) did not yield the expected results.

We proposed an option with hardfacing. We tried several materials and technologies (TIG, MAG, Laser). The trials lasted a total of about three years (including tests under conditions simulating actual work). The current solution is the laser cladding method WA LaserClad LD47 developed by WA Polska. We are continuously collaborating with the Client to reduce service costs and improve parameters (optimization of parameters and cladding layer thickness, increasing efficiency through the use of dual wire, etc.).