About Conforma Clad
Conforma Clad is a leading provider of severe wear solutions to high performance industrial customers around the world. Our customers value long-lasting parts, consistent quality and process controls, and minimizing downtime to increase productivity and lower costs.
ConformaClad History
- 1960
Dubont’s Materials Laboratory discovered Teflon could be processed to fabricate a cloth where tungsten carbide and braze alloys could be embedded.
- 1968
The use of technology to fabricate a cloth loaded with tungsten carbide was developed.
- 1970
Composite Sciences Inc. patented the original formulations for producing our tungsten carbide cloth and brazing it onto steel parts.
- 1980
Feralloy, Div, Gould, purchased nine patents from original investors, and forms Conforma Clad, Inc.
- 1981
Imperial Clevite, Inc. formed when Gould sells Industrial Products Group - Conforma Clad, Inc. remains with Imperial Clevit.
- 1982
First clad part produced.
- 1984
New Conforma Clad plant opened, with new production equipment and improved processes.
- 1985
Conforma Clad began developing clad radial bearings for use in mud-lubricated motor for oil and gas drilling.
- 1989
Conforma Clad became a seperate divison of The Pullman Company, operating as a tungsten carbide cladding provider to OEMs and component suppliers.
- 1992
Company expands its scope of service, and transitioned from a coating services provider to offering full-service severe wear solutions with design, engineering and machining capabilities.
- 1996
Jacobsen Group Purchases Conforma Clad.
- 1997
Conforma Clad consolidates maufacturing in New Albany, Indiana.
- 2000
International expansion into global markets.
- 2004
Kennametal Inc. purchased Conforma Clad.
- 2008
Conforma Clad annual sales top $65 million.
Our unique brazed tungsten carbide cladding combines durability with extended wear life. The metallurgical bond created between the braze alloy, steel substrate and tungsten carbide particles ensures durable wear protection, while the high tungsten carbide content of the cladding significantly prolongs component life.
Compared to other wear protection materials, Conforma Clad provides premium wear protection with less added weight and cross-section loss. The uniform consistency of our cladding allows for reliable wear life extrapolation based on wear measurements.
Customers experience increased productivity and cost savings when critical parts, that wear in weeks or months, are replaced with a Conforma Clad part that lasts up to 15 times longer. There are instances where our cladding shows no measurable wear, even after years of use.
Inside our 110,000 sq ft production facility, we offer complete wear solution services, including on-site wear diagnostics, tailored solution engineering, in-house fabrication, as well as installation and wear monitoring support.
Since our facility is located less than 20 miles from the UPS Worldport hub in Louisville, Kentucky, many customers stock finished inventory of standard products with us. Parts can be delivered anywhere in the US the next day, and in most cases, worldwide within 72 hours.
Conforma Clad staff include engineers, technologists and production team members, who routinely develop custom solutions to unique wear problems.
The table below includes some primary markets served by Conforma Clad, along with popular applications and competitive advantages.
Market | Application(s) | Conforma Clad Advantage |
Oil & Gas Drilling | Radial Bearings, Downhole Tools, Surface Equipment | Drill longer and faster, lower cost-per-foot drilled |
Power Generation | Fans, Boiler Components, Pulverizers, Conveyance Equipment | Longer cycles between outages, lower maintenance costs, reduced downtime, higher revenue generation |
Plastics Compounding Extrusion | Twin-Screw Extruder Barrels | Maintain tight tolerances even with aggressive resins, increased throughput, lower the cost-per-pound |
Petfood Extrusion | Twin-Screw Extruder Barrels, Single-Screw Extruder Barrels, Screw Segments, Ancillary Equipment, Dies | Maintain tight tolerances even with aggressive ingredients, consistent quality, increased throughput, lower cost-per-pound |
Aquafeed Extrusion | Single-Screw Extruder Barrels, Screw Segments, Ancillary Equipment, Dies | Consistent quality and pellet density, high throughput |
Pulp & Paper | Pumps, Conveyance, Fans | Lower cost, reliable power |
General Industrial - including Chemical & Mineral Processing, Steel Processing, Mining & Construction, etc. | Pumps, Screws, Conveyance, Debarker tips, Wear plates, Elbows, Shear Bars | Increase productivity, reduced downtime |