Wear Resistant Linings Selection Guide

The deterioration of surfaces is a very real cost in many industries. These hidden costs if not managed properly often lead to:

- A reduction in financial profit margin
- Lower plant reliability
- Increase in plant down time
- Increase in worker exposure to risk.

All of these are costly, undesirable but also avoidable or have the potential to be minimised.

Wear can be a result of abrasion, impact and erosion including cavitation.

Following are the main issues that need to be addressed when selecting the most suitable wear resistant lining system.

STEP 1.  The substrate

It is necessary to decide what is the best means for lining the substrate. Options for linings include mechanical fixing i.e bolting or welding, bonding materials with adhesives, or direct adhesion of resin based wear resistant coatings.

Surface preparation, access, environment and down time of plant all have to be considered.

STEP 2. The service demands

What will the wear resistant lining be subjected to during its service is a critical element in the coating selection process to ensure improved reliability and liner life? 

Questions need to be asked such as:

• What is the type of wear?  Is the wear caused by abrasion, erosion, adhesion or impact?

• What is a suitable down time for installation of linings? Are rotable spares an option?

• Can engineering alter substrate designs to improve flow, minimise blockages and minimise impact areas?

• Is material transfer noise an issue?

STEP 3.  Selecting best cost-effective lining system. 

It is critical to match the strengths of the lining to the type of wear. Briefly:

• Ceramics such as alumina oxides exhibit excellent sliding abrasion resistance but fail rapidly in high impact areas.

• Non oxide Ceramics such as silicon carbide and nitride ceramics can offer even greater wear resistance in some harsh environments.

• Rubbers and polymers exhibit great impact resistance but can fail rapidly in sharp abrasion and if impacted by heat.

• Steel wear plates are impact and thermal shock resistant but can readily fail in high sliding abrasion systems.

STEP 4. Lining Application Schedule

Properties of the lining such as application time, curing times and re-coat times (if multiple coats are needed) will affect the application schedule. 

To reduce the “downtime” of critical process equipment that is being lined, a lining optimised for the fast service back into the operating environment can often provide large cost savings.

STEP 5. Ongoing liner maintenance

Even though maintaining, repairing or patching is the last thing you want to consider when installing a new lining, it is undeniably a key to getting the maximum life and full service out of the lining.  

Therefore, the selection process should also account for a product that is easy to maintain i.e. easy to repair, patch, and recoat.

As can be seen from the above steps there are many variables to consider in the correct lining selection that will have a significant impact on the profitability and safety of your plant and equipment. In subsequent articles CorrWear will drill down and provide details of different wear resistant materials and their advantages.

CorrWear can assist with the above selection process and help you to understand the strengths and limitations of various options so that the most suitable lining is selected. Contact us now on 0427 557 761 or sales@corrwear.com.au to get a solution to your issue.