It is interesting that Isotropic treatment of bearing
surfaces has now become the focus of component
reliability. Although I no longer have direct
responsibilities with surface finish R&D, there are a
number of technical papers available through the SME
(Society of Manufacturing Engineers) on the subject of
surface improvement. These papers serve to enlighten
the reader as to what improvements are necessary, why
they are necessary and what tools are available to
create these improvements. I find Isotropic, when used
with the acid etch feature, to be a very good process.
It does everything it is supposed to do. However,
there are alternatives that produce the same result,
once the reasons for using the process are understood.
John Goodman
--- rgribble <gribbler@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> If you look at a gear (transmission or rear) that
> has had the REM
> treatment, you'd swear that it was chrome plated. I
> expect to treat my
> entire driveline as well as some engine parts with
> this process. Don't
> mean this as a commercial but you can see more about
> the REM process on
> my web page www.musclemotorsports.com and click on
> "In The Know" You'll
> also find some info on the EDM process that is used
> extensively in
> NASCAR for lightening and surface matching. There
> are some really
> interesting and exciting ideas being borne out of
> this process for
> performance parts.
>
> The big teams have rear-end dynos with all kinds of
> instrumentation to
> prep the gear as well as pick the best of a few they
> will build for a
> race.
>
> In regards to coatings, they seem to be less popular
> due to the life of
> the coating. The only thing I see as a necessary
> coating (it's not
> really a coating, more a process) is the Casidiam
> treatment done by
> Anatech. It is truly an amazing surface to the
> touch. They started with
> wrist pins (and now everybody has Casidiam wrist
> pins in Winston Cup)
> but have gone on to trials in just about all
> friction bearing surfaces
> in an engine. Rather expensive, but with Winston
> Cup (excuse me, Nextel
> Cup) budgets, it doesn't really matter. I'm not
> using much of it in my
> new engine, just a few items.
> Grib
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