Worldwide about 100 million terajoules, 1/5 of the produced energy, is used each year to overcome friction. The largest quantities are used by industry (29%) and in transportation (27%). As much as 17.5% of the energy used in road transports can be reduced by implementation of tribological solutions.
Triboconditioning® is a cost-effective mechanochemical surface treatment that reduces friction and wear by up to 80% and 90% respectively. The uniqueness of the process lies in combining high pressure mechanical finishing of the component surface with chemical reactions from a special process fluid applied, creating a low friction anti-wear nanocomposite film on the component. The genius of Triboconditioning is its simplicity, being easily implemented in standard CNC machines and combining both surface finishing and coating in one step.
Triboconditioning is a flexible process that can be applied on components of steel or cast iron, having therefore a huge range of applications within industrial and automotive. More than 50 automotive parts per vehicle can benefit from it including geared electric drive. There are also many industrial machines and tools that can benefit from treating components such as hydraulics, rock drills, compressors, pumps, bearings, etc.
Applied Nano Surfaces (ANS) is the company behind Triboconditioning. ANS is headquartered in Sweden with sales offices in Germany, Czech Republic and in North America. The company’s core competences lie in tribology, industrial engineering, product and business development as well as marketing and sales. By today, ANS has grown to a strong position, working in many customer programs with corporate giants in automotive and general industry.
Main target of Triboconditioning project is to reach production readiness with process configuration and optimization of machines, tools and process parameters for 4 main application: Big and Small Bores, Shafts, and Gears. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to optimize the quality and process control system. but also, to verify the technology with clients and demonstrate its industrialization viability.
Within the H2020 project, ANS has worked in over 40 customer programs with process development, application and testing on customer components and industrialization of the technology. Concluding the project, ANS has met the targets, demonstrating production readiness for the 4 main application areas and has signed new license/production agreements. We have also started treatment in full scale production for customers and we are now focused on bringing this new surface treatment solution to the broad market by continuing the progress within the established customer and bringing new ones on board.
