NEW Merrow Parts for the 70-D3B-2 "Graphite"

I just thought I'd write up a quick post that 1. gives a sneak peak of Merrow's new parts, and 2. gives an idea of why they're so cool (and important). First, here's a pic of what they look like (these are 70-Class needle plates):

What's the difference in the new parts? They're black. And they have an average hardness rating of HV 3000 (Vickers hardness scale) and a dry/unlubed coefficient of friction of .40 - a 73% and 43% improvement respectively.

What does this mean? It means that we've increased the durability of our parts by making them more resistant to wear. In fact, we estimate that on average they'll last nearly five times longer (depending on the part). We've accomplished this by applying a thin layer of chemicals that actually rebuild itself as it wears. Amazingly it's only 1 micron thick meaning that it won't affect tolerances and that parts can be retrofitted to machines already in the field. And because they're black they'll be easily distinguishable as genuine Merrow parts.

So we've got new parts that are more durable, run cooler, and perform better. Who should be excited about this? Everyone that runs or sells Merrow machines.