What is Thermal Spray?
Thermal Spray is a process used to promote longer life cycles of new machinery or to repair existing components. It can be used as either an alternative or an enhancement to industrial hard chrome plating.
Thermal Spray Coatings addresses the following part benefits:
- Dimensional Size Restoration (component rebuilding)
- Wear Enhancement
- Corrosion Resistance
- Traction/Grip
The term thermal spray is used to describe the process in which either melted wire, Twin Wire Arc Spray (TWAS), or powder material, High Velocity Oxygen Fueled (HVOF), is used to create a coating on work piece surfaces. Both processes are application specific and explained in more detail below.
Through an understanding of the customer’s specific application needs, each thermal spray method can be used to apply a wear and/or corrosion resistant coating. These treatments can be used to repair a damaged surface or to protect new parts. Thermal spray coatings will help to keep equipment running smoothly, maximize return on investment, reduce equipment down time and maintenance, and improve the operation’s bottom line.
Hausner Industrial Coatings (HIC) currently offers two different types of Thermal Spray coatings:
- Twin Wire Arc Spray (TWAS)
- High Velocity Oxygen Fueled (HVOF)
Twin Wire Arc Spray (TWAS) is typically a less expensive process that works well in many applications such as high-build part restoration and corrosion resistance. TWAS can provide a coating that is harder than the base metal and can also enhance a coating’s anti-galling properties. Some of Hausner’s TWAS coatings can be layered up to 1” per side, if necessary. These coatings can be finish ground, machined, and/or polished as needed, to provide the size and surface finish necessary for our customer’s diverse applications.
High Velocity Oxygen Fueled (HVOF) generally provides a higher density coating which is ideal for high wear areas. Our HVOF process results in <1% porosity and offers a wear rate that exceeds that of many other coatings, including hard chrome, by almost 3 to 1. This application is excellent in any area in which the customer experiences a high rate of wear and is seeking to lengthen the service life of the component. This approach is also an excellent choice, due to lower levels of porosity, for corrosive atmospheres. Like TWAS, HVOF can also be finish ground and/or polished to meet the customer’s required specifications on both size and surface finish.
Thermal sprayed coatings can be “engineered” to meet the unique application needs of every customer. And while applications may differ, and the operating environment of each component part can vary, through a detailed understanding of application specifics, as well as over 300 coatings from which to choose, HIC is able to “engineer” a tailor-made coating solution for each customer’s application and environment.
Benefits of Thermal Spray Coating
- Almost any type of metal can be used as a thermal spray coating
- Machine parts with less costly base metals can be used and coated with a more precise coating to give operators the benefits of a more expensive part, such as superior corrosion and wear resistance, without the price tag
- Thermal Spray exhibits very little heat transfer to the coated part and will not affect the base material or impact the substrate microstructure
- Because 95% of HIC thermal spray coatings are robotically applied, precise thicknesses can be achieved, ranging from .001” to more than 1” in thickness, at a build rate of up to 60 lbs./hr., depending on the material and spray system
- The robotic system also provides consistent and even coatings to restore original part dimensions, without unnecessary coating build-up
- HIC can also use Thermal Spray to achieve the customer’s required textured surface for traction and grip
Is Thermal Spray Right for You?
Thermal spray coatings offer superior protection for machinery and equipment through both preventative coatings and effective rebuilding of parts. Hausner Industrial Coatings’ preventative coatings offer longer lifecycles, corrosion prevention and improved wear resistance for new components. The exceptional bond strength of thermal sprayed coatings allows HIC’s spray coatings to restore original dimensions of both new and older parts in a variety of atmospheres.
The proven nature of thermal sprays, in addition to their versatility and cost effectiveness, make them an excellent choice for all types of machinery. These corrosion/wear resistant coatings protect against everyday wear and tear, as well as more severe oxidation to keep equipment in top notch operating condition.
Hausner Industrial Coatings also ensures quality workmanship by having independent, third party, MET Lab testing performed. MET Lab testing is conducted for porosity, hardness, bond strength, and overall coating quality, as well as other tests, upon request.
HIC is considered a leader in industrial spray coating applications, providing customers coast to coast with solutions utilizing the services offered; customers with both large and small spray coating challenges turn to Hausner Industrial Coatings. Contact us for more information or professional advice on your parts and projects at www.hausnerinc.com
