GUARDx® Armor GFC (Anti Galling, Friction Reducing, Corrosion Protection), a nanographene-textured fluoropolymer coating, was recently tested against Xylan and Ever-slik solid film lubricant coatings by one of the top three global oilfield service companies. The results were eye-opening.
For decades, industrial manufacturers have turned to MoS2 and PTFE-based solid lubricant dry-film coatings for the prevention of friction, galling wearand corrosion. The typical application process requires that inventory be shipped to third party coating applicators who coat a variety of substrates through multi-phase application and heat curing. The coated parts are returned to the manufacturer for assembly. The OEM and service provider who challenged Armor GFC, sought to increase their speed to market through use of a coating that did not require third party application or heat curing, but provided long-term indoor and outdoor protection from galling, friction, corrosion, UV, downhole fluids, hydrocarbons, acids and high concentrations of hydrogen disulfide and carbon dioxide. They further challenged Armor GFC by requiring that the coating be able to repair surfaces previously coated with MoS2 and PTFE coatings made by Xylan, Ever-slik and others. GUARDx® Armor GFC was specifically designed by engineers at VinTech to reduce friction, prevent wear, resist tribo-corrosion, and improved thermoelectric properties, while offering end users the time-saving benefit of non-complex in-house application.
The challenge for Armor GFC began by confirming a variety of physical properties compared to benchmark Xylan and Ever-slik coating products. The lab tests confirmed Armor GFC provided equal or better protection performance compared to Xylan 1425, Ever-slik 1201/Everslik 1301 systems. Armor GFC measured lower coefficient of friction as compared to both benchmark products to alleviate friction-induced adhesive wear and galling. While both Xylan and Ever-slik products have enhanced ability at lower temperatures, Armor GFC showed enhanced high temperaturestability reaching up to450 °F.
When UV protection was evaluated, Armor GFC proved capability that the benchmark coatings could not. Armor GFC utilizes a hybrid polymer binder system which delivers high UV resistance as compared to epoxy-based Xylan and Ever-slik coatings that have a tendency tocrack after prolonged UV exposure. Armor GFC is designed for enhanced surface protection in both dry and wet corrosive environments.
To test galling resistance, the oilfield OEM engaged the Texas A&M University Engineering Experiment Station (TEES). TEES conducted standard and modified tests that measured the resistance each coating provided to galling caused by extreme pressure and adhesive wear during make and break assembly. Armor GFC, Xylan and Ever-slikcoatings demonstrated repeated performance under applied loads up to 75k psi and max loads up to 77k psi.
After performance was evaluated, calculating the efficiency of Armor GFC was the final step. The overall goal of this challenge was to identify product performance that could lead to greater asset protection and reduced NPT. As VinTech CEO, Rustom Mody explains, “Our customers tell us that increased productivity is an operational objective that ranks second only to safety. GUARDx® Armor GFC was developed to provide enhanced galling, friction, and corrosion protection with the benefit of reduced downtime associated with outsourcing assets for third-party coating.”
To test the efficiency that Armor GFC claimed, four major coating applicators provided estimates to apply Xylan or Ever-slik coating to a common oilfield flange. In each case, cost for material, labor and freight were captured as well as process timing. From those estimates, GUARDx® Armor GFC demonstrated a tremendous cost savings with the in-house application as compared to the out-sourcing to a vendor for a coating application. Guardx Armor GFC provides cost savings benefitof application, superior protective coating, and in-house management of the service.
GUARDx Armor GFC manufacturer, VinTech, provides the most advanced surface protection technology available. VinTech Nano Materials provides protective lubricants and coatings with proprietary nanoscale additives that increase production rates and improve part quality, while reducing setup time and reducing operation cost. For more information on the superior lubricant performance and surface coating protection that VinTech products provide, visit http:// www.vintechnm.com.
