A guide to testing conveyor guides, machine contacts and surfaces where residue slows production.
Low-friction coatings for industrial equipment are designed to change how a surface slides against a specific material. A packaging engineer may want bottles to pass through a transfer with less marking. A converting line may need a stationary guide that handles film without damaging it. A fixture maker may want a coating that releases process residue during cleanup. Each case starts with a different contact and a different definition of success.
Nanize develops PFAS-free polysilazane coatings and rapid curing technology. It identifies industrial manufacturing and bottle handling as application areas. A buyer can use these examples to consider which part is worth evaluating, then compare a candidate finish with the existing surface under conditions that reflect the line. The resulting data can support decisions about throughput, cleaning, wear and the cost of accepted products. [1] [2]
What Low Coefficient of Friction Means in Production
Friction is resistance to relative motion between surfaces. The coefficient of friction relates that resistance to the normal force pushing the surfaces together. Static friction describes the resistance associated with starting motion. Kinetic friction describes sliding once the surfaces move. In a plant, the difference can show up as a package that sticks briefly and then moves, or as a guide that creates drag throughout the contact.
A reported coefficient belongs to the pair of materials and the conditions of the measurement. A sample sliding against steel under one load can behave differently against a polymer package at another speed. Surface finish, contamination, temperature and wear can affect the result. Ask for the counterface, the type of motion, the test method and the condition of the coating at the time of measurement.
The plant also needs the right amount of friction in the right places. A passive guide may create unwanted drag. A driven roller or belt may rely on grip to move the product. A coating that reduces sliding resistance can be useful on one contact and create a new problem on another. Map where the machine needs grip and where it needs free movement before deciding which part to evaluate.
Friction and wear deserve separate attention. A surface can slide smoothly at the start and change after particles accumulate or a film wears through. A hard coating can also affect the material that touches it. The maintenance team should inspect both the guide and the product for wear, transferred material and marks. Data sheets give initial values and a trial reveals how the pair behaves over repeated use.
Low Friction and Easy Release Solve Different Plant Problems
Easy release describes how readily material separates from a surface. A residue may adhere to a fixture until an operator removes it. A product can stick to a surface during demolding even if the parts do little sliding. A plant investigating residue or sticking can measure cleanup effort, force required to release the item, visible residue and wear after repeating the process.
Sliding friction matters when surfaces move relative to one another. A bottle guide can make contact repeatedly as containers move through a curve or transfer. A strip that supports a moving film needs to preserve product appearance and avoid unwanted drag. An evaluation can measure the effect on scuffing, stoppages and wear at the actual contact while the line runs a representative product.
These properties can interact. Residue on a guide can change the friction the product experiences. A low-friction surface that sheds material could introduce a different quality issue. In an effective trial, operators record the visible condition of the part as well as the production result. The combination gives engineering a way to relate changes in the process to changes at the surface.
Before replacing an incumbent, determine whether it is being used as a finish, a lubricant or a wear component. A factory may use a liquid lubricant, a solid dry-film lubricant, an engineered guide material or a coated contact. Each can affect cleaning, maintenance and the drawings for the machine. A candidate should be compared against the intended function and the service conditions that made the incumbent useful.
Where Nanize Coatings Can Be Evaluated
Conveyor transfers and packaging guides
Nanize describes bottle handling as an industrial opportunity. A facility can start with the guide or transfer where it sees a concentration of scratches, jams or wear. Record the package material, speed range and where the problem appears. A removable guide can make a matched comparison easier because the rest of the line can stay in its normal configuration during the evaluation. [1]
A plant that runs several packaging formats can choose one troublesome product for the initial study and then test a representative set. A guide that works with a rigid container may see different loads or contact geometry with a flexible package. A small test is most valuable when it tells the team which combinations are likely to justify a larger pilot.
Keep a sample of the rejected product from the current line. The location and direction of a mark can help the equipment engineer identify the relevant contact and reproduce it in a trial on the production line. If the source is unclear, collect examples during different parts of the run and compare them against the condition of the guides before ordering a candidate coating.
Passive guides on converting and film lines
On a film line, a contact can leave scratches or cause uneven handling even when a component appears smooth. A trial can compare the current surface with a candidate for marking, sliding resistance and consistency over time. If the part is near a driven roller, confirm that the coating is applied only to the surface being evaluated and observe how the product tracks through the area.
For a sensitive product, inspect what passes through after an extended run. A guide can appear clean and still leave fine marks or transfer residue. A sample set taken at different times during the run can show whether the issue changes as the equipment warms or accumulates material. That is useful evidence for both the product quality team and the supplier of the coated part.
Fixtures and splash shields exposed to process residues
An assembly station may spend time cleaning adhesive or sealant from a fixture. A removable guard or fixture offers a place to evaluate whether residue releases more readily from a coated surface. Compare the current cleaning method on both samples. Track the time to reach an agreed condition, the materials used in cleaning and the appearance of the finish after repeated cycles.
Some fixtures rely on precise dimensions or surface grip to hold the workpiece. Keep those needs in the specification. A coating on a cleanable exposed face may be a better initial candidate than a change on a locating or clamping surface. The fixture owner can identify the part geometry and restrictions that help the coating team choose a realistic evaluation.
Selected mold and release contacts
Where a product or residue sticks to a tooling surface, a low-adhesion finish may be worth comparing with the current system. The evaluation needs to reflect the material being formed, the contact conditions and the steps used to release or clean it. An equipment maker can also consider whether a change in finish affects part dimensions or the appearance of the finished product.
Begin with a tool or surface whose failure is measurable. Count the pieces that require rework or the time the operator spends removing deposits. Then repeat the comparison after the candidate has been used and cleaned. If the improvement persists, the trial gives the manufacturer a basis for discussing repair, coating replacement and long-term supply with its tooling partner.
How to Test Friction and Wear on the Actual Contact
Choose a laboratory method that reproduces the part of the contact that matters. ASTM G99 covers wear and friction testing with pin-on-disk or ball-on-disk apparatus. ASTM D1894 covers static and kinetic friction of plastic film and sheeting. These methods describe different test situations. A laboratory and buyer can choose an appropriate method and identify what needs to be evaluated on the production line. [3] [4]
Include the material that the coated surface will touch. A guide may slide against the bottle wall, a printed sleeve or another part of the package. Each can respond differently. Set the load, speed, direction and exposure to reflect the intended application where practical. If the plant uses cleaners or lubricants, establish whether those will be present during service and include them in the comparison where relevant.
Repeat the measurements after wear and cleaning. One number can be a useful screen for selecting candidates. Repeated measurements show whether the effect is stable through the service cycle. Inspect the coating and the opposing surface for wear tracks, polishing, damage and residue. A change in friction can be an early indicator that one of the surfaces is changing.
Agree on the practical target before evaluating samples. A plant may want a lower starting force, fewer visible marks or a longer replacement interval. A candidate might reduce friction and still require a different cleaning routine. A trial with more than one acceptance measure gives the plant a way to evaluate those tradeoffs with the coater and machine supplier.
How to Run a Useful Line Trial
Start by observing and recording the incumbent. Note line speed, the product being made, where stoppages occur, how often the part is cleaned and what counts as a reject. Ask operators when the problem is most likely to happen. The same issue may show up after changeover or near the end of a run. That context helps the team choose a representative period for the comparison.
Change one relevant contact at a time where possible. Keep the product, settings and inspection method comparable. Record each stoppage or quality issue with enough detail to tell whether it involved the candidate part. A change somewhere else on the line may influence production. A simple trial record helps the team identify which changes can be associated with the coated contact.
Include a way to inspect the part during and after the trial. Photograph wear under consistent lighting or measure the feature that determines the replacement interval. Take samples of product before and after the change. If the coating makes a noticeable difference, the test can reveal whether the benefit is related to fewer marks, less residue, a different maintenance interval or several of those outcomes together.
Plan for more than one operating condition if the first result is promising. Run the part through another product format or shift and observe behavior through the expected cleaning schedule. Compare the results with the original baseline. A repeatable effect gives the plant and the supplier a firmer basis for determining how broadly the finish can be used.
Keep the drawings, coating grade and test data together. Record which batch and substrate were used and identify the parts inspected. An equipment builder that offers the finish to other plants can use that record to explain the conditions under which it has evidence. A repeat order can then specify the characteristics that produced the result.
Estimating Savings From Less Cleaning and Downtime
Consider an illustrative line that stops five times per shift for a cleaning job. If a tested finish reduced each job from eight minutes to five minutes, the line would recover 15 minutes per shift. At an assumed downtime value of $300 per hour, that would equal $75 per shift. Across 250 comparable shifts, the example yields $18,750 in gross time value before coating and other costs.
The estimate matters only if the recovered time has value. A line with unmet demand may use the time to make more product. A plant with a fixed output may experience the benefit as easier scheduling or less overtime. Ask what the team can do with the time it recovers and use a valuation that reflects the answer.
Add quality and maintenance where there is evidence. Fewer scuffs can reduce scrap or rework. A longer replacement interval can reduce parts and maintenance labor. A new coating may add inspection or require a coated spare. Compare the annual cost and benefit on the same basis, including the expected number of parts, changeover frequency and any added handling.
The manufacturer and the coater may value different units. The plant can ask for a cost per accepted unit or per shift. The equipment builder may need a cost per finished guide. The coater may quote per batch or per surface area. Establishing how those units connect makes a trial result easier to translate into a commercial decision.
Comparing a Coating With Other Ways to Fix the Contact
Consider the part design before choosing a surface technology. A line may see a bottleneck because a transfer is misaligned, the guide is worn or the geometry changes between products. If the team identifies one of those causes, restoring the intended geometry may be the right first step. The coating trial can then address the remaining issue under the conditions the equipment was designed to handle.
A different bulk guide material may also be worth comparing. That choice can change stiffness, dimensional tolerance and how the part is machined or replaced. A thin coating on the established part can preserve more of the existing design if it meets dimensional and durability requirements. Both approaches can be evaluated on the same measures for sliding, marks, maintenance and cost over the expected service interval.
An equipment builder may need to evaluate the finish as an option that can be supported in the field. The coated part needs an inspection method, a supplier and a plan for replacement. Operators need a way to recognize when the finish is worn or the contact is changing. Agree on the maintenance information the builder will provide if the option moves from a pilot into its standard offering.
Specifying What a Coater Should Deliver
Write the coating requirement around the function the buyer actually needs. A specification can identify the material and counterface, acceptable dimensions, the relevant friction or release test and the performance expected after wear. If the coating goes on only part of a component, the drawing should identify the surface to be treated and the surfaces with other finish requirements. That helps the coater quote and inspect the work consistently.
Agree what happens when performance depends on the condition of the underlying part. A new machined guide and a used guide returned for recoating may have different surface wear. The equipment maker can identify what to inspect before coating and when replacement makes more sense. A repeatable preparation and acceptance process can reduce variation between batches.
Use the plant’s maintenance history to decide how often to check the result. A component that previously needed attention every few shifts may benefit from a close follow-up during the pilot. Once the team sees how it wears and cleans, it can set a review interval based on the observed condition. Those records help purchasing decide whether a quoted service life is realistic for its line.
Nanize Technology and the People Behind It
Nanize develops PFAS-free polysilazane formulations that can be designed for low friction or easier release. It reports short cure times for selected coatings on tested steel and aluminum. A production project still needs data for the intended part, its contact and the complete coating process. Nanize’s applications page describes possible uses in manufacturing and bottle handling. [2] [1]
David Hogg, CEO, brings industrial operating and commercialization experience. Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Dr. Kingsley Iwu leads the materials work behind the formulation and cure. Chief Commercial Officer Jerry Stokes is a point of contact for equipment makers, operators and applicators. CFO and co-founder Håvard Lillebo brings the finance perspective when a pilot leads to a decision about production or investment. [5]
Frequently Asked Questions About Industrial Low Friction Coatings
What is a good coefficient of friction for a conveyor guide
The target depends on the product, contact and machine. A useful number comes with the material pairing, load, speed and test method. Confirm that the reduction is relevant to the line and that the coating retains its behavior after wear and cleaning. Watch what happens to the product as well as the guide.
Can a PFAS free coating replace PTFE on industrial equipment
It can be evaluated when a candidate matches the application’s needs for friction, wear, temperature and chemical exposure. Compare it with the incumbent at the contact where the problem occurs. A plant can also review material declarations for the selected coating and other layers involved in the finished part. [6] [2]
Does low friction mean easy release
Low friction describes sliding resistance between surfaces under defined conditions. Easy release describes how readily material separates. A coating project can target one or both. Choose a test that measures the behavior the production team needs, such as sliding force at a guide or cleanup time on a fixture.
Can I use a dry coating wherever I use lubricant
The application determines the answer. A lubricant can do several jobs, including controlling wear and carrying heat or contaminants away in certain equipment. Start with a noncritical contact where a surface finish is an appropriate candidate and compare it with the current process. Include the equipment manufacturer’s requirements in the evaluation.
What information should I give a coating supplier
Share a part or drawing, its material and finish, the material it touches and the operating conditions. Describe the maintenance problem and what counts as an improvement. Production records for downtime, damaged units or cleaning can help a supplier and buyer decide which result to measure first.
Discuss an Industrial Coating Trial With Nanize
Nanize welcomes manufacturers, machine builders, contract coaters, distributors, investors and industrial event organizers. Contact Jerry Stokes at js@nanize.com with the part, the current contact and the production or maintenance outcome you want to improve. A well-defined application gives the partners a practical place to begin. [7] [5]
Sources
1. Nanize coating applications
2. Nanize coating technology and test results
3. ASTM G99 for pin-on-disk or ball-on-disk wear and friction
4. ASTM D1894 for static and kinetic friction of plastic film
5. Nanize executive team and business contacts