The transition to cheaper and more environmentally friendly fuels is crucial to the future of the shipping industry, and MAN Diesel & Turbo is a major player in that market.
MAN Diesel & Turbo’s newest generation of gas-driven engines already plays a key role in the sector’s fuel conversion from oil to alternative energy. When developing the engine, Expanite and MAN Diesel & Turbo collaborated in solving the installation of their gas injection valve in the engine. An important part of the solution came from Expanite – a surface hardening technology that makes stainless steel extremely wear and corrosion resistant.
Expanite is a Danish growth company established in 2010 by three experts in materials and surface hardening from the Technical University of Denmark. In short, the technology is a gas-based treatment of the surface of stainless steel or titanium, so that corrosion resistance is improved and the hardness is multiplied (e.g., up to 1200HV 0.05 in stainless steel). This eliminates wear and galling, and the lifespan of the parts is increased by a factor of ten.
It is expected to be a huge international market for Expanite, which technology is protected by patents. Expanite has already established service centers in Denmark, Germany, the US and China, and customers are coming from automotive, medical, food and pumps & valves industry, but the demand for more resistant and durable stainless steel products is wide – also in the marine sector.
