Babbitt (white metal) coating
Babbitt coatings (white metal) on a tin basis are often used to produce high-quality babbitt layers in bearing shells, slideways and other plain bearing applications.
Relative to conventional babbitt casting, spraying these layers offers several advantages
- The workpiece doesn’t need to be tinned, optimum adhesion is obtained on cast iron, steel and bronze.
- No dovetail joints or special entrapments are required to obtain a proper bond.
- The layer thickness can often be kept to a minimum.
- If thick layers are required, a buffer layer of aluminium bronze can be applied, this buffer layer also functions as an emergency bearing surface.
- Sprayed babbitt layers have a very even structure, there is no chance of inclusions or casting holes so that a constant high wear and pressure resistance is obtained.
- Due the micro-pores the sprayed babbitt layers are ‘self-lubricating.
Properties
- Low coefficient of friction
- High wear and compression resistance
- Aluminium bronze coating as buffer layer for emergency bearing surface is possible
Examples
- Bearing shells (Slide bearings)
- Guideways