DuPont, in partnership with CHIME Performance Polymers Private Limited, has established a facility for DuPont™ MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings in Sriperumbudur, Chennai, a region known for its automotive parts manufacturing sector. The facility aims to support both customer trials and regular production of anti-friction coatings.
The new unit is equipped with advanced pre-processing and testing technologies, including a 7-tank phosphating system for degreasing, a grit-blasting cabinet for surface preparation, and equipment for analyzing surface roughness with high accuracy. For application processes, it features a custom spin-dip coating machine for fasteners, a spray booth for coating larger components such as windmill parts, and a hot-air oven for curing coatings.
Additional quality control measures include peel-off tests to ensure bonding strength, as well as testing equipment to measure wet-film and dry-film thickness. Standard operating procedures were developed jointly by the MOLYKOTE® India and CHIME teams to ensure consistent production quality.
The facility was inaugurated by Rakesh Nambiar, with participation from Naresh Chandar T.R., Vimal Mishra, and Amit Nath Saxena, alongside members of the CHIME team.
The MOLYKOTE® brand, introduced in 1948 by American scientist Alfred Sonntag as the first molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) lubricant, has a 75-year legacy of materials innovation and technical expertise. Now part of DuPont, the brand offers a broad range of specialty lubricant solutions, including anti-friction coatings, greases, and oils, designed to address evolving industry trends. Combining tribology and material science, MOLYKOTE® focuses on creating sustainable and efficient lubrication solutions tailored to customer needs.