Safe, wear-resistant coating significantly extends the life of an electric motor

Kolmer Elektromotoren has developed a coating that should protect electric motors at least four times as long. The electric motor supplier's mission is to make motors more durable, now also in the water sector. "We're seeing a strong need in the water sector for this product," says Jan Bakker, sales manager at Kolmer Elektromotoren. The idea for a new coating arose about six years ago. Due to seawater and aggressive cleaning agents, existing coatings didn't offer long-term protection for marine engines, resulting in deposits, overheated motors, and peeling coatings. Wasn't there a coating that lasted longer than six months? "No," says Bakker. "Then we started developing our own coating in Germany." The idea for a new coating arose about six years ago. Due to seawater and aggressive cleaning agents, existing coatings didn't offer long-term protection for marine engines, resulting in deposits, overheated motors, and peeling coatings. After a thorough development phase, the company suspended two engines in seawater: one coated and one uncoated, where they were exposed to the effects of ebb and flow and wind for 120 days. "The difference between the two engines was unprecedented; the uncoated engine was covered in algae and shellfish. The engine with our coating had a small deposit, but I easily cleaned it with a toothbrush," says Bakker. Tests with aggressive cleaning agents, acids, and ammonia followed, which were also passed. Because no paint flakes are released and the coating's composition has been deemed safe for humans and the environment, it received a food safety certificate and the go-ahead from TNO for production. Bakker: "The first test engine, which previously had to be replaced every six months due to flaking paint and rust, is still running six years later thanks to the coating."