Antifriction Coating Composition With Basket-Mill Particle Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antifriction coating technologies fail to efficiently address the efficient production of AFC compositions with reduced manufacturing time, and which use equipment that is easier to clean, dispersed and grind solids in the same vessel, is usable across multiple products or product families, and requires replacement less frequently due to wear. Further, the process allows for better control over the particle size and particle size distribution of the ground solids in AFC compositions that allow for more control over the particle size and particle size and particle size distribution of the ground solids in AFC compositions that allow for more control over the particle size and particle size and particle size and particle size distribution of the ground solids in the same vessel, is usable across the particle size and particle size distribution of the ground solids in the same vessel, and requires replacement less frequently due to wear. Further, the process allows for more control over the particle size and particle size distribution of the ground solids in AFC compositions, and produces AFC compositions with improved performance for load carrying capacity and product life time.

Innovation Solution

The process involves combining a solid lubricant, solvent, and binder, optionally with additives, using a basket mill for grinding, allowing for the same vessel to be used across multiple products, reducing cleaning difficulty, and enabling better control over particle size and distribution, thus improving load carrying capacity and product life time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If bead mill grinding is used to process AFC compositions, then particle size reduction is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and cleaning difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle size controlVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive, difficult-to-clean bead mill equipment with a simpler, more economical grinding apparatus that uses disposable or easily replaceable grinding media. This allows for cost-effective production while maintaining particle size control, directly addressing the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the grinding function from the complex bead mill system and implements it as a separate, simplified grinding step using basic mechanical agitation with grinding media. This separation eliminates the need for expensive specialized equipment while achieving the required particle size reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Manufacturing precision

If bead mill grinding is used to process AFC compositions, then particle size reduction is achieved, but cleaning difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle size controlVSAvoidcleaning difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the grinding function from the complex bead mill system and implements it as a separate, simplified grinding step using basic mechanical agitation with grinding media. This separation eliminates the need for expensive specialized equipment while achieving the required particle size reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive, difficult-to-clean bead mill equipment with a simpler, more economical grinding apparatus that uses disposable or easily replaceable grinding media. This allows for cost-effective production while maintaining particle size control, directly addressing the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple passes through bead mill are used to achieve desired particle size, then grinding effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle size distributionVSAvoidmanufacturing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary dispersion of solid lubricants in the coating composition before the final grinding step. This pre-dispersion prevents agglomeration and ensures uniform particle distribution, allowing achievement of desired particle size in a single grinding pass rather than requiring multiple passes through the bead mill.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If bead mill equipment is used for AFC composition grinding, then grinding capability is provided, but equipment replacement frequency increases due to wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrinding capabilityVSAvoidequipment service life
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs simple, inexpensive grinding media that can be easily replaced when worn, rather than using expensive bead mill equipment with durable but costly components. This approach maintains grinding capability while significantly reducing equipment replacement costs and time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This process results in more efficient manufacturing with reduced time, easier cleaning, and improved performance of AFC compositions by allowing for better control over particle size and distribution, leading to enhanced load carrying capacity and extended product life.

Implementation Method 1

grinding the solid lubricant (i) in the solvent (ii) with a basket mill for sufficient time to form a dispersion of the ground solid lubricant (i) in the solvent (ii)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP4413106B1Antifriction coatings and methods of making antifriction coatings
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 DDP SPECIALTY ELECTRONICS MATERIALS US LLC
  • EP4413106B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4413106B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4413106B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of making an antifriction coating composition, comprising the steps of (A) combining (i) a solid lubricant, (ii) a solvent, (iii) a binder, and (iv) optionally, an additive; and (B) grinding the (i) solid lubricant in the solvent (ii) with a basket mill for sufficient time to form a dispersion of the ground (i) solid lubricant in the (ii) solvent, and wherein the binder (iii) and the optional additive (iv) are each independently combined with the solid lubricant (i) and solvent (ii) before, during, after, or a combination of two or more of before, during, and after, (B).