In the demanding worlds of wastewater and process engineering, abrasive wear and corrosion are the silent killers of pump efficiency. Recognizing this persistent challenge, global pump and valve manufacturer KSB Group has introduced NoriResist, a groundbreaking diamond-like carbon (DLC) high-performance coating designed to dramatically extend the service life, efficiency, and sustainability of critical hydraulic components.
The Science Behind the Shield
Developed through a robust collaboration between KSB’s research teams, application technology experts, and industry partners, NoriResist is engineered for extreme resilience. The coating boasts an exceptional hardness of 4000 to 8000 HV (40–80 GPa), making it highly resistant to abrasive wear, particularly in harsh fluids laden with sand or solid particulates.
Unlike traditional thick coatings that can alter a component’s geometry, NoriResist is applied in micrometre-thin layers. This precision application preserves the original component weight, dimensional accuracy, and hydraulic contours. Crucially, the low application temperature prevents component distortion and microstructural changes, meaning impellers do not require costly rebalancing after the coating process.
The coating is highly versatile, suitable for application on grey cast iron, nodular cast iron, steel, and even selected plastic components. It can be applied to a wide range of parts, including impellers, wear plates, discharge covers, casing wear rings, and the casings of close-coupled pumps.
Unmatched Performance in the Field
The true test of any industrial coating is real-world performance, and NoriResist has passed with flying colors. During rigorous field trials in heavily contaminated wastewater applications, components treated with NoriResist maintained their surface quality and hydraulic efficiency after thousands of operating hours. In stark contrast, conventionally coated alternatives experienced noticeable wear and declining efficiency over the same period.
By helping components retain their original contours and vane edge sharpness, the coating reduces flow separation and prevents efficiency losses. In active service, KSB reports that NoriResist-coated components can achieve up to three times the operating life of uncoated or conventionally coated alternatives.
Additionally, its low-friction surface actively reduces adhesion and material deposits, while its chemical inertness and thermal stability (up to approximately 500°C) ensure reliable performance even when handling highly aggressive or corrosive fluids.
A Win for Sustainability and Total Cost of Ownership
Beyond raw performance, NoriResist aligns perfectly with modern industrial sustainability goals. The coating is fully recyclable and specifically designed to prevent the release of plastic and heavy metal particles into the environment.
From an operational standpoint, the extended maintenance intervals and drastically reduced spare parts consumption translate directly into lower resource usage and a significantly reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) over the pump’s lifecycle.
Looking Ahead
As industries face increasing pressure to optimize asset reliability and minimize environmental impact, KSB’s NoriResist coating offers a powerful, ready-to-deploy solution. By turning vulnerable hydraulic components into highly resilient, long-lasting assets, KSB is once again proving that smart material science is the key to the future of sustainable fluid handling.