Fascinatingly well equipped
Thermisches Spritzen im Fokus
(Nov. 2019/OM) - What would Iron Man be without his armor? What Captain America without his shield? Avengers' superheroes from the movies wear armor that protects them. A particularly effective protective layer that not only makes them appear more imposing, but also makes what lies beneath more resistant. At first glance, thermal spraying offers just that: a protective shield that makes a component resistant to thermal, chemical or mechanical attacks such as wear and corrosion at critical points. But it can do even more.
The spray coating can also conduct or insulate against heat or electricity if required. Its use may make a product lighter and thus more usable. It is a surface coating that not only visually improves the underlying material, but also gives it an added value that the base material would not have without this coating.
Thermal spraying has a special feature: unlike many other surface coatings, it does not just lie on top of the material but, as it were, clings to its structure. It is often used in the aerospace, mechanical engineering, printing, plastics and metalworking industries, as well as in power generation and mining. Frequently stressed components such as seals, valves, cylinders, pumps, turbines and rollers benefit from the advantages here in particular.
In addition, such surfaces play a particularly important role in medical technology. Thanks to thermal spraying, orthopedic implants such as shoulder, hip and knee joints find a permanent and significantly better hold in a patient's body. Less significant, but particularly well-known applications of thermally sprayed surfaces can be found in the household: For example, when less fat is needed when frying in a coated pan.
Protection against wear and corrosion
Many thermal spray applications are possible, not all are common. Thermal spraying can help increase equipment service life, improve effectiveness and thus reduce costs - whether the part is new or being repaired. Locally damaged structures can be repaired or rebuilt by thermal spraying. The heat input is spatially limited and, with maximum precision in the coating, ensures that the component can only warp minimally, if at all.
Deposition welding is also particularly suitable for repairs. Laser cladding with powder feed, for example, melts the edge layer of the component surface with a laser beam and bonds it to the powder that is sprayed on via a nozzle. The result is a dense layer with a low level of mixing due to melting metallurgy.
Fascination Surface Technology" initiative
It should be noted that both processes work exactly where the corrosion attack occurs or the component must be protected against wear. It should also be noted, however, that both processes offer an infinite number of highly individual solutions. This is why expertise is needed here in particular - experts who can demonstrate the positive results of the process, select the appropriate coating and find the right equipment for the required characteristics.
This is precisely where the "Fascination Surface Technology" initiative comes in. It was jointly founded by Gemeinschaft Thermisches Spritzen e.V. (GTS) and DVS - Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren e. V. in October 2019. Its aim is to raise awareness of the two processes, highlight the wide range of possible applications and promote their development.
ITSC in Vienna
This also includes supporting the most important industry meeting place, the ITSC - International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition. For the first time, the ITSC in the coming year 2020 is not only aimed at industry experts. A premiere, because: Registered visitors can attend the hands-on session and industry forum on June 10 and 11, 2020, at the conference free of charge. You will learn a lot of interesting facts about the various processes and about user-friendly coating solutions. These two event formats are explicitly aimed at visitors who want to obtain non-binding information and get to know the coating solutions.
In both processes, high quality, efficiency and reproducibility are at the heart of the innovations. However, the different areas of application and the wide range of possibilities make them so flexible to use. Few other processes can be so customized and fascinatingly versatile, few coat with so much functionality. In this way, both just make more out of what they coat. Just as a protective shield with a star or armor sometimes turns a person into an intrepid superhero.
► "Fascination Surface Technology" initiative