Kraftstoffersparnis durch Hochleistungswerkstoffe

Fuel Saving by the Use of High‐Performance Materials Due to new European regulations efficiency of modern automobiles has to be increased. Two possible ways to achieve a reduction of fuel consumption are weight reduction by light metals like aluminium and use of coatings to reduce friction losses and enable new efficient working points. An example which combines both ways is the engine of a modern automobile. More and more light alloys like AlSi are used to reduce the engine weight. Furthermore, coatings are used to maximise the weight reduction and to increase the efficiency. Thus, thermal spraying is used to avoid wear on the aluminium bores and thin coatings on piston rings deposited by means of Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) decrease the friction losses and allow low wear within this tribological contact.