Diamond-like carbon coatings in rolling contacts

Abstract

The use of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings to improve the performance of more complex mechanical components or systems is currently increasing rapidly. Higher demands on robustness and reliability and less maintenance imply that incremental improvements in steel or lubricants is no longer sufficient and therefore DLC coatings, belonging to the family of hard wear-resistant coatings, have become a realistic option also for components such as bearings, gears, joints or cams. This paper describes the development of DLC coatings for highly loaded components with complex geometry made from low-temperature stabilized steel, exemplifies their performance with test results and discusses relevant test and quality control methods for component coatings. Finally, an outlook on the future of surface engineering of components is given.