Sermatech International - Protective Coatings for Aircraft Turbine Engines and Components

Sermatech International develops and applies advanced protective coatings that enhance the performance and extend the life of aircraft turbine engine components and related aerospace equipment.

The main benefit of our protective coatings for flight turbine compressor or "cold" section components is higher efficiency, which leads to lower fuel consumption. For hot section applications, the main benefit is longer life and less replacement of expensive components.

TURBINE ENGINE COLD SECTION COATINGS

Our SermeTel® series of protective coatings maintain or improve the aerodynamic surface finish of components and reduce fouling, which results in operating and cost benefits to end users. For example, the smooth SermeTel 5380 DP™ coating is ideal for use on components where surface finish is critical, such as compressor airfoils and stator vanes, and ultra smooth SermaFlow™ coatings maintain the optimum airflow efficiencies demanded by the latest generation of gas turbine engine designs.

SermeTel aluminum ceramic coatings have a sacrificial character that protects components even when the coating is scored or partially eroded. These coatings are either Bill of Material or offered as an option by all major flight turbine manufacturers.

TURBINE ENGINE HOT SECTION COATINGS

Sermatech’s hot section protective coatings shield costly turbine components against the ravages of high temperatures and erosion.

We apply a range of diffusion and thermal spray coatings engineered to limit degradation at elevated temperatures, extending equipment life and reducing maintenance costs. The SermaLoy® series of coatings is designed specifically for protecting engine hot section components. These coatings are very resistant to both low and high temperature hot corrosion, as well as oxidation.

Other Sermatech coatings that are effective in the hot section of flight turbines include a compete line of pack diffusion coatings, including platinum aluminides, and a full range of thermal spray technologies. Our thermal spray capabilities include high velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) and Gator-Gard®-applied MCrAlY overlay, as well as Thermal Barrier coating (TBC) systems tailored to specific applications.

RELATED TURBINE AND AIRFRAME COMPONENTS

Sermatech coatings also have proven effective in protecting non-engine components in demanding aerospace applications. For example:

• The SermeTel 1083/1089 coating system – designed for use on magnesium gearboxes and other light metal aerospace components – provides superior protection against hot oil and corrosion. The US Navy conducted a two-year test by applying the SermeTel 1083/1089 coating system to transmission components on Sikorsky SH-60B helicopters and extended the life of the gearbox tails and intermediates by 75 percent, leading to substantial savings in spare part costs.
• The SermeTel 1083/1183 coatings system is ideal for aluminum or magnesium surfaces exposed to environmental corrosion and ultraviolet radiation.
• The SermeTel 984/985 coating system is used to protect undercarriage aircraft gear assemblies, such as landing gear pistons.
  A landing gear piston on a Lockheed F-117 stealth fighter was coated with SermeTel 984/985 and showed no signs of corrosion or coating degradation after five years of service in harsh environments. The 984/985 coating system also provided an alternative to cadmium plating processes used to protect undercarriage aircraft gear assemblies. In addition to their more environmentally friendly characteristics, aluminum ceramic coatings such as the SermeTel 984/985 system also can handle higher temperature excursions that are associated with the newer advanced breaking systems. SermeTel 984/985 can handle temperatures up to 1,100°F (595°C).
• The SHORCOAT™ process is an effective alternative to anodization of aircraft aluminum skin surfaces for corrosion and erosion resistance.

SermeTel coatings are compatible with nearly all paint systems and can be cured at relatively low temperatures to avoid damage to lightweight substrates.