Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Triboconditioning (Development of an innovative and cost-efficient process for friction and wear reduction)
Reporting period: 2019-09-15 to 2020-11-14
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.
The customer´s verification programs were continuously expanded and in the end over 40 customer projects had been included with joint testing activities together with some of the world’s largest industrial and automotive OEMs. Components have been funneled through different development phases, as agreed with the customer. The Triboconditioning process and project results achieved have been intensively marketed and disseminated within a range of activities including more than 600 one-to-one meetings with customers, organization of workshops, participation on trade fairs and exhibitions, launch of new website, issuance of press releases, press and media attention through articles in magazines, participation in pitch events and publications of news in newsletters and on social media.
Ultimately, the project has led to new license and production deals signed with new customers and partners and Triboconditioning implemented in production.
Triboconditioning addresses environmental and economic issues by reducing wear and friction by up to 80% and 90%, respectively. For example, reducing friction have a direct positive impact on the environment through reduced electricity consumption from machines and improved fuel economy in vehicles. Triboconditioning can lower the CO2 emissions by 0.11 tons/vehicle/year (savings of €640/vehicle in 10 years). It offers high-performance at reduced costs compared to competing technologies (savings of €201 million/year compared to plasma spraying of only a few types of engine components).
Vehicles as well as machines consists of many complex components and sub-assemblies that must comply with strict quality, manufacturing and business standards. Many producers are becoming more like assemblers and less like manufacturers, with suppliers producing many of the parts. We are offering Triboconditioning to Tier 1s and OEMs (target end-users), where Tier1s will implement the process and OEMs will do end testing and approval. Through in-house production capability we are also offering treatments of components directly from ANS treatment plant.
Triboconditioning is a flexible process that can be applied on industrial and automotive components, it’s easy to implement in standard manufacturing processes so Tier 1s and OEMs can benefit from our technology with low investment and low risk. In addition, Tribocontioning is a highly adaptable process and we can provide end-user easy access to innovative technology integrated in existing production lines at a low cost.
Triboconditioning is the leading technology supporting our business strategy, offering a family of friction and wear reducing solutions (Tricolit, TriboNite and Triboconditioning) for various materials and surfaces, thus becoming a natural partner to our customers. By establishing strategic partnerships with leading producers we can use their sales force and marketing channels to access a wider market. This strategy allows fast time to market and quick internationalization. We are now taking our portfolio of more than 40 automotive and industrial customer programs towards implementation and production