Business
AgustaWestland Replacement Test Success
AgustaWestland Replacement Test Success.
About this update from Hardide Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \nRNS Number : 1769I Hardide PLC 01 July 2013 \n \n\n \n \n\n\n\n\nPress Release \n\n\n1 July 2013\n\n\n\n\n \nHardide plc\n \n(\"Hardide\" or \"the Company\" or \"the Group\")\n \nHardide Coatings announces AgustaWestland \nhard chrome replacement test success\n \nHardide plc (AIM: HDD), the provider of advanced surface coating technology, announces that it has successfully completed the first of two test phases to approve the Hardide coating as a replacement for hard chrome plating on an application for AgustaWestland, the major European helicopter manufacturer. \n \nThe second test phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2013 and, if successful, the Hardide coating will be approved for use on a specific AgustaWestland helicopter rotor blade component. The manufacturer is also considering other applications for the Hardide coating technology.\n \nThe results come as the Hardide coating featured positively as an alternative for hard chromium plating for severe service valves in a peer-reviewed full text article* in Elsevier's Materials Chemistry and Physics, the international journal on science, characterisation and processing of advanced materials. The article was independently authored by valve manufacturer Velan Inc, the Université de Montréal and Notre Dame University-Louize, Lebanon. *Published as \"L.Vernhes, et al., Alternatives for hard chromium plating: Nanostructured coatings for severe-service valves, Materials Chemistry and Physics (2013)\" and available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2013.03.065. \n \nHard chrome plating, which is widely used in the aerospace and defence industries, is soon to be restricted under EU REACH and US OSHA legislation due to the use of highly toxic hexavalent chromium salts. In order to meet these environmental regulations AgustaWestland is conducting extensive search and testing for hard chrome alternatives.\n \nThe first test phase confirmed that the Hardide coating is a good candidate to replace hard chrome in a number of areas. Tests showed that the coating has a better high cycle fatigue endurance than hard chrome - a very important characteristic for aerospace applications - and exceptionally good corrosion resistance when exposed to a salt-fog environment. The Company will ...