Patent ID: 10151043

Abstract:
A method of producing a locator pin with wear-resistant, corrosion resistant, and electrically insulating coating on selected areas of the surface off a metallic core include depositing a coating on the selected areas. The locator pin may have a single layer of a ceramic coating deposited using plasma electrolytic oxidation or may have a composite coating that includes a layer of vanadium carbide on selected areas of a surface of a locator pin and a layer diamond-like carbon on top of and in contact with the vanadium carbide layer. The vanadium carbide coating may be deposited using a thermal diffusion process and the diamond-like carbon coating may be deposited using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process. The coating prevents weld splatter from adhering to the coated areas, and prevents the locator pin from acting as a shorting path during welding of parts located by the locator pin.