shLOUIS METALLIZING COMPANY Thermal Spray Processes ‘Wire Combustion Flame Spray Wire Electric Are Plasma Flame H.V.O.F - High Velocity Oxy Fuel WS.P. - Water Stabilized Plasma a @ «su Lours MeTALLizinG CoMPANY a Bray og nn oc tances cate oray sat esasWire Combustion Flame Spray “The lame spray process uses oxygen and acetylene gases as fuel to melt wire which i fed int the flame, Compressed air atomizes the molten metal and projets the atomized particles onto the ‘workpiece. Thi method of epray ie relatively inexpencive but i limited by the avalible chemistry of wires. ‘The most common application forthe combustion process is for mechanical build up of wor machine elements, sich as sha, housings, andthe lik. Wire sprayed coatings are generally put ‘on top of bond coat. Tae most common bond coat is nickel aluminde. Nickel sluminide is applied from .003" 10 00S" thick. It provides a tensile strength of approximately 4000 psiulimate. Bond strength isa function ofthe hardness of the base material, the surface roughness, and the proper mix of oxygen and acetylene atthe gun, Improper gas ratios can cause coatings which ae too hard, to soft, or too highly oxidized. Like all other coatings, he wire flame sprayed coating will perform better in co than in tension or shear. Good examples of applications for this are bearing jour (on mating surfaces of parts such as gears, drive sheaves, and parts which have interference fits. ‘Stay away from needle tearing applications. The extreme high point pressure put onthe coating by ‘the needles wil eause tke bond to fil, Another application which can be a problem is a eam, for the same reason Wire sprayed coatings are porous and have the appearance of cast iron. Porosity can be an ‘advantage, such as on lip seal aplication where the coating will retain a film of oil to help improve the life of the seal. Porosity will also reduce the amount of heat transfer through a coating ‘The most common matical for mechanical build up is 420 $8. This has been used on printing cylinders, rollers, and bearing housings. Ithas a hardness inthe low 40% range on the Rackwell C scale 80 it is harder than most mild soe! machine elements. The wets chraeteristes ofthe sprayed 420 8S are very similar a good grade of cas iron, ey w ST. LOUIS METALLIZING COMPANY 4123 Sarpy Avenue = St boule, MO 63100 (ais) 831-5358