How is plasma spray used?

Plasma spray coating is one of several types of thermal spray methods. The other main ones are combustion flame spraying, vacuum plasma, two-wire electric arc spraying and High-Velocity Oxy-Fuel spraying (HVOF). Each of these have their own unique benefits.

Image credit

The Thermal Plasma Spray Coating Process

The key steps involved in the process are preheating, powder injection and melting, coating build-up and thickness control, and cooling and solidification. Each of these stages is crucial in terms of creating the requisite coating, with preheating enabling better adhesion and cooling ensuring that there are no defects.

Equipment Required

The important pieces of equipment needed for plasma spraying are:

– A plasma spray gun
– A source of plasma gas
– A source of electricity
– Coating powder
– Anode nozzle.

What materials can be plasma-sprayed?

The range of materials that can be sprayed onto substrates using plasma spraying includes metals, ceramics, composites and polymers. Each of these provides a coating with unique attributes. For example, aluminium and titanium can provide strength and corrosion resistance, whilst zirconia can provide wear resistance and high-temperature stability.

The Main Benefits of Plasma Spray Coating

Plasma coatings can extend the life of the objects that are coated. This is because they are imbued with new qualities such as hardness, thermal insulation and resistance to corrosion, wear and tear, and oxidation. They can also be used to repair damaged items, thus extending their useful life.

Thermal Plasma Spray Specialists

Thermal plasma spraying is an effective and efficient way of coating the surfaces of objects. There are a number of experts in this field, such as https://www.poeton.co.uk/advanced-treatments/apticote-800-thermal-plasma-spray/, which have useful online resources.

Which industries use plasma spray coatings?

The number of industries that utilise plasma spray coatings is extensive and includes automotive, aerospace, medical and biomedical, petrochemical, marine, engineering, and consumer electronics.

Plasma Spray Coating: Applications

Plasma coatings are versatile, efficient, and highly functional. Examples of applications include blow dryers and hair straighteners, pet toys, piston rings and carburettor parts, medical and dental implants, solar panels and aeroplane engine components.

Image credit