Anti-Wear Materials: Essential for Durability and Operational Efficiency

Anti-Wear Materials are essential to ensure asset longevity and improve machine functionality and operational efficiency.

Wear: Causes and Factors

This article is inspired by a report published in Meccanica News, October 2025, dedicated to anti-wear materials in hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
Wear refers to a gradual deterioration of a component's material, caused by continuous movement and contact between two solid surfaces.
It is a critical factor to monitor, as it directly impacts the reliability, longevity, and operational performance of machinery.
In fact, it often negatively affects the precision of movements, the sealing of components, and the quality of the working fluid.
As a result, increased production costs, unexpected failures, and a significant decrease in efficiency may occur.
Wear in hydraulic and pneumatic systems can be categorized based on the mechanisms that cause it and the operating conditions in which it occurs.
Factors such as movement speed, pressure, temperature, fluid quality, and the properties of the materials in contact determine both the nature and extent of wear.
Therefore, during design, operation, and maintenance, it is crucial to understand specific factors, as they serve as primary criteria when selecting the most suitable material to use.

Types of Wear

Depending on specific factors, various types of wear can occur:

• Abrasion
  This often occurs when abrasive particles, such as dust and contaminants present in the fluid or gas, come into contact with metal surfaces. These particles, due to their characteristics, remove thin layers of material from the surface of components. It is particularly risky when the fluid has too low viscosity, as the lubricant fails to provide adequate protection to the moving surfaces.
  
  
• Cavitation
  

  Cavitation occurs when the fluid experiences a rapid drop in pressure, leading to the formation of gas or vapor bubbles that implode when the pressure increases again. The mechanical collapse of these bubbles generates micro-impacts on the metal surfaces, causing localized damage and material erosion.

• Corrosion
  Corrosion is the chemical degradation of metal surfaces caused by contact with aggressive substances in the working fluid. These may contain water, acids, or other reactive substances, which often represent the primary cause of corrosion. In hydraulic systems, the presence of water in the fluid can promote the formation of acids that accelerate the surface corrosion of metals.
  
  
• Adhesive Wear
  This type of wear occurs when metal surfaces in motion come into direct contact without an adequate lubricating film. 
  The pressure exerted during contact can lead to the formation of micro-bonds between the surfaces, which break as the movement resumes.
  
  

Anti-Wear Materials 

To combat wear, the use of innovative materials with high mechanical and tribological properties is essential.
The continuous evolution of these materials is a key element for the future of hydraulic and pneumatic engineering.
Let’s explore the characteristics of some of the most commonly used materials:

Alloy Steels 

Alloy steels are one of the main solutions currently used for hydraulic and pneumatic components due to their high mechanical strength, hardness, and ability to resist abrasion. Common alloying elements include chromium, molybdenum, nickel, and vanadium, which are particularly suitable for their wear and corrosion resistance properties.

High-Resistant Alloys for Extreme Applications 

In addition to alloy steels, nickel, titanium, and cobalt alloys are used in hydraulic systems operating under extreme conditions. Some notable examples are:

-  Nickel Alloys, which offer excellent resistance to corrosion and high temperatures;

- Titanium Alloys, which provide high mechanical strength and low density, ideal for aerospace applications and harsh environments;

- Cobalt Alloys, which stand out for their superior anti-wear properties, ideal for components exposed to significant abrasion.

Composite Materials 

Composite materials represent an important innovation in the hydraulic and pneumatic sectors due to their combination of lightness and mechanical strength. Among the most used are metal matrix composites, polymer matrix composites, and carbon fiber-reinforced composites.

These materials, in particular, ensure lightness and rigidity while simultaneously reducing friction and wear of moving components.

Behind each of our realizations is solid know-how, shaped through client projects and their production needs.

Every design choice, every material, and every technical detail reflects the desire to transform engineering expertise into concrete and lasting value for our partners.

Our commitment to providing high-quality solutions goes beyond merely constructing plants: it translates into a collaboration path aimed at continuous process improvement, reducing management costs, and increasing operational reliability.

Contact the Priver team and discover how to make your plants more efficient and productive. https://www.priver.it/it/contattaci