Galling is a failure mechanism caused by two metal surfaces of similar chemical composition or surface hardness. As the surface undergoes load, galling results in a cold welding type of failure that causes the two surfaces to stick together. This often results in the destruction of the parts in contact, downtime, difficult removal and costly downtime. Elevated temperatures and high surface loads increase the tendency of galling. Higher hardness alloys, often required for corrosion protection, are more prone to galling. Conventional lubricants can control galling, but often fail under load and temperature. Lubricants can also introduce other problems, depending on the application, and are often undesirable.

MagIon defeats galling by providing a "contrasting" thin film layer attached at an atomic level. Typically soft "noble" metals are used, which serve as "dry metal lubricants". Due to the strength of the coating's bond, the "engineered surface" remains intact under stress. As the coated parts are disassembled, shearing occurs in the softer coating itself, thus protecting the base parts from galling or sticking. Since these coatings are applied at low temperatures, the integrity of the base part's material properties are maintained.                        Galling Case Histories