Keith O. Legg, Ph.D., is a senior analyst at Rowan Technology Group, Libertyville, IL, a strategic marketing and competitive analysis firm specializing in advanced technologies, materials and coatings. He can be reached at 847.680.9420 or klegg@rowantechnology.com.
Although the driver was originally regulatory, growth in the use of engineered hard chrome (EHC) alternatives has accelerated as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their customers have recognized that alternatives can provide better wear and corrosion performance with faster turnaround in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). Many companies have found that high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) technology reduces their cost of ownership, even though the process itself is more expensive.