Alu-coated Piston Rings

Typical appearance of an alu-coated top piston ring for an MAN B&W MCengine

Cross section of an alu-coated piston ring. The yellow bronze is clearly visible along with the black alumina oxides

Alu-coat is a bronze-based coating with alumina oxide insolubles, it was developed in the late 1990s to shorten the running-in time of new MAN B&W MC engines. MAN Diesel introduced alu-coat based on its effective running-in features for honed and semi-honed liners. A wealth of experience and a 100% success rate set alu-coat apart as the no. 1 running-in coating choice. Alu-coat reduces shop trial times and creates a safe and reliable running-in period. Today, alu-coated rings are used in new engines as well as for retrofit in older engines with honed and semi-honed liners. Alu-coat also reduces the cylinder oil consumption during running-in. The right profile for the job Alu-coat is a semi-soft, thermally sprayed coating, approximately 0.25 mm thick. It comes as sprayed, which gives a somewhat rough appearance, but forms a smooth, profiled running surface very rapidly. The soft matrix at the coating allows the hard insolubles to protrude onto the running surface of the rings and act in a slightly abrasive way on the running surface of the liner. The matrix also serves as a safety buffer that prevents initial scuffing problems until running-in is complete.

Retrofitting benefits are multiple Not only does alu-coat eliminate the piston ring running-in time when fitted in a previ ously used liner. The coating also offers an extra safety margin when dealing with operational problems. This process normally takes 500 to 2,000 hours (depending on the conditions). The slightly abrasive effect of alu-coated piston rings makes them very suitable when changing worn piston rings in connection with piston overhauls. A liner which has been operating with worn rings normally shows signs of blow by lacquer marks and/ or local bore polish. Alu-coat contributes to some running-in liner wear on a micro scale, wich is normally enough to re-establish the important open-grain structure of the liner that is vital for the tribology of the liner/oil/ piston ring system.

Copyright Copyright MAN MAN Diesel Diesel Subject Subject to to modification modification in in the the interest interest of of technical technical progress. progress. 3010-0000-00ppr 3010-0018-01ppr Mmm Jan 20XX 2010 Printed in Denmark

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