Sulzer can engineer the best-fitting surface or coating, based on years of experience, to find the optimum solution for you.

The BESCOTE® system helps select and apply the most suitable and cost-effective surface using either:

  • Welding
  • Electroplating
  • Thermal spraying
BESCOTE® takes full account of the component's operating environment, its base material, working temperature, and any corrosive or erosive conditions as well as life cycles and costs. The BESCOTE® system can then be formulated for the application and fully defined and documented.
Coatings are used for wear and corrosion resistance
Coatings are used for wear and corrosion resistance

Hard chromium electroplating

Hard chromium produces a metal coating with a low friction coefficient thus ensuring hardness, wear resistance, and anti-corrosion properties (when used with nickel).

Mining equipment, rolls, and cylinders all benefit from reduced wear and anti-corrosion properties. Chromium has a low friction coefficient, making it an ideal coating for bearing journals, crankshafts, and hydraulic arms.

Adhesion and wear resistance remain good at high operating temperatures: the melting point of chromium is 1800ºC and the metal does not soften up to 400ºC. Chromium has the lowest friction band coefficient of commonly-used metals; other materials will only adhere to it with difficulty. When chromium is deposited correctly, it is impossible to detach the deposit from the base material.

Other key benefits of chromium:

  • Surface hardness in excess of 62Rc
  • Can be deposited in thicknesses ranging from 0.0005 to 0.040” (optimum range: 0.010”)

Nickel electroplating

Nickel can often be used underneath chromium to provide corrosion protection, or where heavy deposits are required. When used alone, nickel provides added protection for components operating in a highly corrosive atmosphere or in chemical solutions.
Our plating tanks are amongst the largest in the UK; we can accommodate the majority of industrial plating work.

Thermal spraying

Sulzer offers all forms of thermal spraying currently available and which can be used to restore component dimensions with materials similar to the original.
Using recently-engineered coatings increases equipment life without distorting, cracking, or making the base material brittle.

We use various techniques:

  • Combustion wire
  • Electric arc
  • Combustion powder
  • Atmospheric plasma spraying (APS)
  • High velocity oxygen fuel spraying (HVOF)

New Gigant solvent degreasing plant

  • One of the biggest closed circuit degreasers outside the aerospace industry
  • Uses trichloroethylene, a highly efficient and virtually emission-free cleaning medium
  • Heated solvent vapor and spray wash used for cleaning, in order to remove contaminants from the most complex shapes
  • Leaves no residue on the components

Accreditation

  • Local Authority Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Permit (LAIPPC)
  • Site runs a BSI-approved 14001 Environmental Management System
  • A Lloyds-approved plating facility
  • Member of the Surface Engineering Association

Tank capacity: up to 8ft x 3ft x 12ft (2.5m x 0.9m x 3.6m)

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