FDA approval for Hardide coatings

Hardide-T, the unique tungsten carbide-based component coating developed by Hardide Coatings, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use on food processing equipment

This latest approval opens up significant opportunities for Hardide Coatings to build on its existing European position where Hardide-T is already being used successfully in food processing applications.

As a result of the FDA go-ahead, the company has entered tests with one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-pressure homogenisers and homogenisation systems, which has global distribution to the food, dairy and beverage industries.

The opportunities for Hardide-T in food manufacturing are primarily in valve, pump and actuator applications where the company has achieved proven success in other industries.

Hardide-T offers an unprecedented combination of ultra-hardness, toughness, low friction and chemical resistance when applied to components made from a wide variety of metals.

Unlike most ceramics and carbides, Hardide-T is not prone to chipping or flaking, as it will flex with the substrate under severe impact.

Jim Murray-Smith, chief executive officer of Hardide, said: "This is a major development for Hardide as it opens up a vast range of new opportunities for us internationally where we can offer a solution to the many food manufacturing applications where part failure due to wear, corrosion and galling is an issue.

We are already working very successfully in this sector in the UK.

An example is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies which was having repeated failures with a hard chrome coating which was puncturing and flaking under abrasive conditions, causing the galling of critical ball valves and seats.

The life of the parts was increases in excess of 20-fold after being coated with Hardide-T.

The Hardide entry into the food processing sector is a natural progression following the group success in the valve and pump markets within high wear industries such as oil and gas, power generation and chemicals".

Hardide-T is widely used around the world in aggressive wear or chemical environments in industries including oil and gas, aerospace, valves and pumps.

Its unique combination of properties include:.

* Up to 3500 Hv.

* accurately controlled thickness ranging from 5 to 100 microns.

* resists 3000 microstrain deformation without damage to the coating.

* binder-free.

* nano-pore, dense, homogeneous structure.

* superior bond strength due to chemical bond.

* low coefficient of friction.

* excellent anti-galling properties and can be used against itself without galling concerns.

* satin-like 'as-coated' surface finish.

The coating is also compliant with the new EU REACH regulations and is viewed as an attractive possible alternative to hard chrome and HVOF.

Hardide has manufacturing facilities in Bicester, Oxfordshire in the UK and Houston, Texas in the USA.

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