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  Check List for Defining Surface Engineering Requirements  


Print this page and try to fill in as much of the information as you can.  It will assist in defining your problems and requirements and lead to the optimum surface engineering solution.

Category Options Your Component
Component name Make it descriptive  
Function Is it rolling, sliding, in static contact, etc.  
Base material Low carbon steel, medium carbon steel, alloy steel, al alloy, etc.  
Fabrication method Cast, machined, ground, etc.  
Heat-treatment The temperature which you don't want to exceed when surface engineering  
Environment Is it saline, oxidising, caustic etc.  
Lubrication Is it oiled or greased  
Operating temperature The maximum it's likely to see  
Counterface material It could be another engineering part or it could be a product  
Counterface hardness If it's an engineering part, how hard is it?  
Abrasivity of product If the contact is against a product, does it have a hard filler or abrasive nature. How hard?  
Corrosively of product Salt water, acid, etc.  
Mode of degradation What is dominant? Wear, corrosion, fatigue, etc.  
Your basic requirement Low wear? Low friction? Anti corrosion? etc.  
The load The maximum value  
The likely contact area Is it over a large area or concentrated?  
The specific load Divide the load by the area  
Contact conditions Impact, cyclic loading, static loading, or just sliding?  
Hardness How hard do you want the surface to be?  
Surface finish Your required finished value  
Finishing constraints Can you post-finish after surface treatment? What dimensions are critical?  
Thickness How thick do you want the coating or case? It will depend on the load  
Coverage Where must it be coated or treated? Are there any holes or inaccessible features?  
Size and weight The longest dimension  
Approvals Defence? Food approval?  

This table is available to download in PDF format.

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