Aerator Tine Case Study

Thermal-sprayed portion of aerator tine to reduce abrasive wear.

Aerator Tine

Reason to Consider Surfacing

Abrasive soil/ground conditions in different regions cause uncoated tines to wear prematurely. Tines are about 5 in. long by 0.5 in. in diameter (127 by 13 mm).

Issues

Tines having increased wear resistance for the application. The OEM specification contains a product code called "High-Wear Tine," which a user (in this case the owner of the aerating equipment) can specify as a replacement part. Carbide thermal spray surfacing has been a designated product for the OEM for more than 20 years.

Option

Commercially available carbide/cobalt matrix is applied by the tine using the high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) process. A coating thickness between 0.002 and 0.003 in. (0.05 and 0.076 mm) is applied (by) to approximately a 1.5 in. (38 mm) long section of the wearing tip and feathered into the adjacent non-wearing area. No further finishing is required. The part is abrasive blasted and immediately thermal sprayed, followed by applying a thin film to prevent moisture penetration during storage.

Benefits

Service life of the tines is extended by 5 to 10 times that of
uncoated tines.
User experiences less downtime and labor to remove worn components.
Uniformity of the tine surface during aeration results in a more consistent appearance of the aerated areas.