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