Parker Hannifin Corporation, the global leader in motion and control technologies, has introduced an advanced cylinder rod coating technology that resists corrosion up to eight times longer than conventional coatings.

Global Shield rod coating technology was specifically designed to meet the corrosion, caustic, impact, chemical and saltwater-resistance requirements of challenging industrial and outdoor environments, especially in the hydro market, while avoiding the detrimental environmental impact caused by current plating technologies.

This highly engineered coating greatly exceeds the performance of industrial hard chrome and nitriding, while matching or exceeding the corrosion resistance of more costly high-performance alternatives. It can be applied during original Parker cylinder manufacture or installed during aftermarket cylinder maintenance via a process that is both efficient and environmentally responsible.

According to Rade Knezevic, Parker business development manager, "Development of the Global Shield coating is a direct response to customer demands for an environmentally responsible, corrosion-resistant coating that significantly reduces the downtime associated with cylinder repairs and seal replacements."

Recommended for heavy-duty, outdoor applications with zero tolerance for downtime, Global Shield coating is ideally suited to hydro-oriented applications including hydroelectric and marine / intermodal, as well as mining, construction, material handling, renewable energy, power generation, refuse, oil and gas, military, heavy-duty trucking, forestry and other challenging industrial and mobile environments. Global Shield is available as an option for almost all Parker cylinder sizes.

When compared to traditional rod coatings, Global Shield has the following advantages:

  • Significantly improved corrosion resistance from the single-layer, fully-dense, submicron structure and the lack of micro-cracks inherent to chrome plating
  • Lower friction
  • Ductile and tough so when the rod bends, it does too
  • Engineered hardness (HRC 54 minimum) for wear-resistance

The value that you will receive from Global Shield includes:

  • Less downtime from reduced maintenance intervals (cylinder repairs and seal replacements)
  • Longer seal life in corrosive environments
  • Lower service costs since you won’t need to replace the piston rod due to corrosion

Further, the environmentally safe edge from Global Shield involves no chromium in the coating or process, no hexavalence and no hazardous waste stream, no PEL (personal exposure limits) concerns, RoHS Compliance (Directive 2011/65/EU), and recyclable coating materials.