KSB unveils new carbon-based coating to extend pump service life

KSB Group has introduced NoriResist, a new carbon-based high-performance coating designed to improve the durability, efficiency and sustainability of pumps and valves used in demanding applications.
Developed through collaboration between research, application technology and industry partners, the diamond-like carbon coating has been created primarily for wastewater and process engineering applications. It can be applied to a range of hydraulic components, including impellers, wear plates, discharge covers, casing wear rings and impeller wear rings, as well as the casings of close-coupled pumps.
Suitable for grey cast iron, nodular cast iron and steel materials, the coating can also be used on selected plastic components. NoriResist has a hardness of 4000 to 8000 HV (40–80 GPa), providing high resistance to abrasive wear, particularly in fluids containing sand.
The coating is applied in micrometre-thin layers, helping to preserve component weight, dimensional accuracy and hydraulic contours. As a result, impellers do not require rebalancing after coating, while the low application temperature prevents component distortion and microstructural changes.
Field trials in heavily contaminated wastewater applications showed the coating maintained surface quality and hydraulic efficiency after thousands of operating hours, while conventional coatings experienced noticeable wear and declining efficiency over the same period.
KSB says the coating helps components retain their original contours and vane edge sharpness, reducing flow separation and efficiency losses. In service, coated components can achieve up to three times the operating life of uncoated or conventionally coated alternatives.
The low-friction surface also reduces adhesion and deposits, improving reliability when handling abrasive or corrosive fluids. Chemically inert and thermally stable up to around 500°C, the coating is resistant to many aggressive substances.
In addition to performance benefits, NoriResist is recyclable and designed to avoid the release of plastic and heavy metal particles. KSB says longer maintenance intervals and reduced spare parts consumption can also help lower resource use and overall pump life cycle costs.