RAPID PROTOTYPING AND SURFACE

MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES
MANUCHANDRAN
 Introduction
• Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model
of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer aided
design (CAD) data.
• Construction of the part or assembly is usually done using 3D printing or "additive
layer manufacturing" technology.
• Today, they are used for a wide range of applications and are used
to manufacture production-quality parts in relatively small numbers if desired
without the typical unfavorable short-run economics.
• As with CNC subtractive methods the computer-aided-design – computer-aided
manufacturing CAD -CAM workflow in the traditional Rapid Prototyping process
starts with the creation of geometric data, either as a 3D solid using a CAD
workstation, or 2D slices using a scanning device
 Techniques of rapid prototyping

• 3D printing (3DP)
• Ballistic particle manufacturing (BPM)
• Directed light fabrication (DLF)
• Direct-shell production casting (DSPC)
• Fusion deposition method (FDM)
• Laminated object manufacturing (LOM)
• Shape deposition manufacturing(SDM) (and Mold
SDM)
• Solid ground curing (SGC)
• Stereo lithography (STL)
• Selective laser sintering (SLS)
 THE BASIC PROCESS
• CREATING THE 3D CAD MODEL OF THE
DESIGN
• CONVERTING THE CAD MODEL INTO STL
FORMAT
• SLICING THE STL FILE INTO THIN LAYERS
• CONSTRUCTING THE MODEL ONE LAYER ATOP
ANOTHER
• CLEANING AND FINISHING THE MODEL
1 CAD MODEL CREATION
• First the object to be build is modeled:
• using a CAD software package or by using a laser scanner or a Coordinate
Measuring Machine (CMM). (”Reverse engineering””)
2 CONVERSION TO STL FORMAT:
• The standard data interface between CAD sofware and the machine is the
STL-format (Stereolithography).
• An STL-file approximates the shape of a part using triangular facets. Small
facets produce a high quality surface
• Since the .stl format is universal, this process is identical for all of the RP build
techniques.
3.SLICE THE STL FILE:
• The program may also generate an auxiliary structure to Support the
model during the build
4. LAYER BY LAYER CONSTRUCTION:
The fourth step is the actual construction of the part. Using one of several
techniques (described later) RP machines build the model layer by layer.
The material´s initial states are:
• LIQUID • SOLID or • POWDER
5.CLEAN AND FINISH:
• Removement of the part from the machine
• Detaching any supports
• Aftercure (some photosensitive materials)
• Cleaning and surface treatment
• Possible painting etc
ADVANTAGES
• Almost any shape or geometric feature can be produced.
• Reduction in time and cost (could range 50 – 90%. Wohler)
• Errors and flaws can be detected at an early stage.
• RP/RM can be used in different industries and fields of life (medicine, art and architecture, marketing..)
• Discussions with the customer can start at an early stage
. • Assemblies can be made directly in one go.
• Material waste is reduced.
• No tooling is necessary.
• The designers and the machinery can be in separate places
DISADVANTAGES
• The price of machinery and materials.
• The surface is usually rougher than machined surfaces.
• Some materials are brittle.
• The strength of RP-parts are weaker in z-direction than in other.
 STEREOLITHOGRAPHY
• Stereolithography is the most widely used RP-technology. It can produce highly Accurate and
detailed polymer parts. SLA was the first RP-process, introduced in 1988 by 3D Systems Inc
• SLA uses a low-power, highly focused UV laser to produce a three dimensional object in a vat
of liquid photosensitive polymer
• Abbreviation: SLA
• Material type: Liquid (Photopolymer)
• Materials: Thermoplastics (Elastomers)
• Min layer thickness: 0,02 mm
• Surface finish: Smooth
• Build speed: Average
• Applications: Form/fit testing, Functional testing, Very detailed parts, Presentation models,
Snap fits..
• Stereolithography is an additive manufacturing process that works by focusing an ultraviolet
(UV) laser on to a vat of photopolymer resin
• With the help of computer aided manufacturing or computer aided design(CAM/CAD)
software, the UV laser is used to draw a pre-programmed design or shape on to the surface
of the photopolymer vat
• Photopolymers are sensitive to ultraviolet light, so the resin is photochemically solidified and
forms a single layer of the desired 3D object.[ This process is repeated for each layer of the
design until the 3D object is complete.
• in models featuring an elevator apparatus, an elevator platform descends a distance equal to
the thickness of a single layer of the design (typically 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm into the
photopolymer vat.
• Then, a resin-filled blade sweeps across a cross section of the layer, re-coating it with fresh
material. The subsequent layer is traced, joining the previous layer. A complete 3D object can
be formed using this process. Designs are then immersed in a chemical bath in order to
remove any excess resin and cured in an ultraviolet oven
• It is also possible to print objects "bottom up" by using a vat with a transparent bottom, and
focusing the UV or deep-blue polymerization laser upward through the bottom of the
vat.[15] For example, the Form 1 stereolithography machine starts a print by lowering the
build platform to touch the bottom of the resin-filled vat, then moving upward the height of
one layer.
• The UV laser then writes the bottom-most layer of the desired part upward through the
transparent vat bottom, and the photopolymer hardens selectively where the laser strikes.
• Then the vat is "rocked", flexing and peeling the bottom of the vat away from the hardened
photopolymer; the hardened material detaches from the bottom of the vat and stays
attached to the rising build platform, and new liquid photopolymer flows in from the edges of
the partially built part.
• The UV laser then writes the second-from-bottom layer and repeats the process.
An advantage of this bottom-up mode is that the build volume can be much bigger
than the vat itself, and only enough photopolymer is needed to keep the bottom
of the build vat continuously full of photopolymer
• Stereolithography requires the use of supporting structures which attach to the
elevator platform to prevent deflection due to gravity and to hold cross sections in
place in order to resist lateral pressure from the resin-filled blade or retain newly
created sections during the "vat rocking" of bottom-up printing.
• Supports are created automatically during the preparation of 3D Computer Aided
Design models and can also be made manually.[14] With more expensive
stereolithography models, these supports must be removed from the finished
product manually
• Advantages
• One of the advantages of stereolithography is its speed; functional parts can be manufactured
within a day.
• The length of time it takes to produce a single part depends upon the complexity of the design and
the size.
• Printing time can last anywhere from hours to more than a day.
• Many 3D printers can produce parts with a maximum size of approximately 50×50×60 cm
(20×20×24 in) and some printers are capable of producing single parts more than 2 meters in
length.
• 3D printed prototypes and designs are strong enough to be machined and can also be used to
make master patterns for injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding, and various metal
casting processes
• Disadvantages
• Although stereolithography can be used to produce virtually any synthetic
design, it is often costly; common photopolymers can cost about $800 per
gallon and SLA machines can cost $250,000.
• Recentlypublic interest in 3D printing has inspired the design of several
consumer SLA machines which can cost $3,500 or less, such as the Ilios Photon
2 by Ilios 3D, Form 2 by Formlabs or the Nobel 1.0 by XYZPrinting.
• There has also been a reduction of the cost of photopolymer resins.
 Selective laser sintering
• SLS was patented in 1989. The basic concept of SLS is similar to that of SLA.
• It uses a moving laser beam to trace and selectively sinter powdered polymer and/or metal
composite materials.
• The powder is kept at elevated temperature. Unlike SLA, special support structures are not
required because the excess powder in each layer as a support
• With the metal composite material, the SLS process solidifies a polymer binder material
around steel powder (diameter ca. 0.1 mm) one slice at a time forming the part.
• The part is then placed in a furnace (>900 °C), where the polymer binder is burned off and
the part is infiltrated with bronze to improve its density.
• SLS allows for a wide range of materials, including nylon, glass-filled nylon, Truform
(investment casting) and metal composites.
Abbreviation: SLS
Material type: Powder (Polymer)
Materials: Thermoplastics: Nylon,
Polyamide and
Polystyrene; Elastomers;
Composites
Min layer thickness: 0,10 mm
Surface finish: Average
Build speed: Fast
Applications: Form/fit testing, Functional
testing, Less detailed parts,
Parts with snap-fits & living
hinges, High heat
applications
• An additive manufacturing layer technology, SLS involves the use of a high power laser (for
example, a carbon dioxide laser) to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, ceramic, or glasspowders
into a mass that has a desired three-dimensional shape
• The laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning cross-sections generated from a 3-D
digital description of the part (for example from a CAD file or scan data) on the surface of a powder
bed.
• After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer
of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the part is completed.
• Because finished part density depends on peak laser power, rather than laser duration, a SLS
machine typically uses a pulsed laser.
• The SLS machine preheats the bulk powder material in the powder bed somewhat below its
melting point, to make it easier for the laser to raise the temperature of the selected regions the
rest of the way to the melting point
• In contrast with some other additive manufacturing processes, such as stereolithography (SLA)
and fused deposition modeling (FDM), which most often require special support structures to
fabricate overhanging designs, SLS does not need a separate feeder for support material because
the part being constructed is surrounded by unsintered powder at all times, this allows for the
construction of previously impossible geometries
• Also, since the machine's chamber is always filled with powder material the fabrication of multiple
parts has a far lower impact on the overall difficulty and price of the design because through a
technique known as 'Nesting' multiple parts can be positioned to fit within the boundaries of the
machine.
• One design aspect which should be observed however is that with SLS it is 'impossible' to fabricate
a hollow but fully enclosed element. This is because the unsintered powder within the element
can't be drained.
• Since patents have started to expire, affordable home printers have become possible, but the
heating process is still an obstacle, with a power consumption of up to 5 kW and temperatures
having to be controlled within 2 °C for the three stages of preheating, melting and storing before
removal.
Some SLS machines use single-component powder, such as direct metal laser
sintering. Powders are commonly produced by ball milling.
However, most SLS machines use two-component powders, typically either
coated powder or a powder mixture. In single-component powders, the laser
melts only the outer surface of the particles (surface melting), fusing the solid
non-melted cores to each other and to the previous layer.
• Advantages
• A distinct advantage of the SLS process is that because it is fully self-supporting, it
allows for parts to be built within other parts in a process called nesting – with highly
complex geometry that simply could not be constructed any other way.
• Parts possess high strength and stiffness
• Good chemical resistance
• Various finishing possibilities (e.g., metallization, stove enameling, vibratory grinding,
tub coloring, bonding, powder, coating, flocking)
• Bio compatible according to EN ISO 10993-1 and USP/level VI/121 °C
• Complex parts with interior components, channels, can be built without trapping the
material inside and altering the surface from support removal.
• Fastest additive manufacturing process for printing functional, durable, prototypes or
end user parts.
• Vast variety of materials and characteristics of Strength, durability, and functionality, SLS
offers Nylon based materials as a solution depending on the application.
• Due to the excellent mechanical properties the material is often used to substitute
typical injection molding plastics.
• Disadvantages
• SLS printed parts have surface porosity. Such porosity done can be sealed by
applying sealant such as cyanoacrylate
FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING FDM

FDM was developed by Stratasys. In this process, a plastic or wax

material is extruded through a nozzle that traces the part´s cross
sectional geometry layer by layer
Abbreviation: FDM
Materialtype: Solid(Filaments)
Materials: ABS, Polycarbonate, Polyphenylsulfonite;Elastomers
Min layerthickness: 0,15mm
Surfacefinish: Rough
Buildspeed: Slow
Applications: Form/fittesting, Functionaltesting, Small detailedparts,
Presentationmodel
• Fused filament fabrication is a 3D printing process that uses a continuous filament of
a thermoplastic material.
• This is fed from a large coil, through a moving, heated printer extruder head. Molten material is forced
out of the print head's nozzle and is deposited on the growing workpiece.
• The head is moved, under computer control, to define the printed shape. Usually the head moves in
layers, moving in two dimensions to deposit one horizontal plane at a time, before moving slightly
upwards to begin a new slice.
• The speed of the extruder head may also be controlled, to stop and start deposition and form an

interrupted plane without stringing or dribbling between sections .

 Solid ground curing (SGC)
• Solid ground curing (SGC) is a photo-polymer-based additive manufacturing (or 3D
printing)technology used for producing models, prototypes, patterns, and production
parts, in which the production of the layer geometry is carried out by means of a high-
powered UV lamp through a mask.
• As the basis of solid ground curing is the exposure of each layer of the model by means
of a lamp through a mask, the processing time for the generation of a layer is
independent of the complexity of the layer.
• SGC was developed and commercialized by Cubital Ltd. of Israel in 1986 in the
alternative name of Solider System
• While the method offered good accuracy and a very high fabrication rate, it suffered
from high acquisition and operating costs due to system complexity. This led to poor
market acceptance. While the company still exists, systems are no longer being sold.
• Nevertheless, it's still an interesting example of the many technologies other
than stereolithography, its predeceasing rapid prototyping process that also utilizes
photo-polymer materials.
• Though Objet Geometries Ltd. of Israel retains intellectual property of the process after
the closure of Cubital Ltd. in 2002, the technology is no longer being produced.
• Solid ground curing utilizes the general process of hardening of photopolymers by a complete lighting and
hardening of the entire surface, using specially prepared masks.
• In SGC process, each layer of the prototype is cured by exposing to an ultra violet (UV) lamp instead of by
laser scanning.
• So that, every portion in a layer are simultaneously cured and do not require any post-curing processes.
• The process contains the following steps
• The cross section of each slice layer is calculated based on the geometric model of the part and the
desired layer thickness.
• The optical mask is generated conforming to each cross section.
• After leveling, the platform is covered with a thin layer of liquid photopolymer.
• The mask corresponding to the current layer is positioned over the surface of the liquid resin, and the
resin is exposed to a high-power UV lamp.
• The residual liquid is removed from the workpiece by an aerodynamic wiper.
• A layer of melted wax is spread over the workpiece to fill voids. The wax is then solidified by applying a
cold plate to it.
• The layer surface is trimmed to the desired thickness by a milling disk.
• The current workpiece is covered with a thin layer of liquid polymer and step 4 to 7 are repeated for each
succeeding upper layer until the topmost layer has been processed.
• The wax is melted away upon completion of the part.
 Advantages and disadvantages

• The primary advantage of the solid ground curing

system is that it does not require a support
structure since wax is used to fill the voids.
• The model produced by SGC process is
comparatively accurate in the Z-direction because
the layer is milled after each light-exposure
process.
• Although it offers good accuracy coupled with
high throughput, it produces too much waste and
its operating costs are comparatively high due to
system complexity.
 LOM Laminated object manufacturing

• Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) is a rapid prototyping system developed

by Helisys Inc. (Cubic Technologies is now the successor organization of Helisys)
• In it, layers of adhesive-coated paper, plastic, or metal laminates are successively glued
together and cut to shape with a knife or laser cutter.
• Objects printed with this technique may be additionally modified by machining or drilling
after printing.
• Typical layer resolution for this process is defined by the material feedstock and usually
ranges in thickness from one to a few sheets of copy pape
• The process is performed as follows:
• Sheet is adhered to a substrate with a heated roller.
• Laser traces desired dimensions of prototype.
• Laser cross hatches non-part area to facilitate waste removal.
• Platform with completed layer moves down out of the way.
• Fresh sheet of material is rolled into position.
• Platform downs into new position to receive next layer.
• The process is repeated until full model or prototype prepared
1 Foil supply. 2 Heated roller. 3 Laser beam. 4. Scanning prism. 5
Laser unit. 6 Layers. 7 Moving platform. 8 Waste.
 3d printing
• 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), refers to processes used to create a three-
dimensional object[1] in which layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object.[2]
• Objects can be of almost any shape or geometry and typically are produced using digital model data
from a 3D model or another electronic data source such as an Additive Manufacturing File (AMF) file.
• Stereolithography (STL) is one of the most common file types that 3D printers can read. Thus, unlike
material removed from a stock in the conventional machining process, 3D printing or AM builds a three-
dimensional object from computer-aided design (CAD) model or AMF file by successively adding
material layer by layer
• Three Dimensional Printing (3DP) technology was developed at the MIT and licensed to
several corporations. The process is similar to the SLS process, but instead of using a laser to
sinter the material, an ink-jet printing head deposits a liquid adhesive that binds the material
• Material options are somewhat limited but are inexpensive relative to other additive
processes. 3D printing is quite fast, typically 2 –4 layers/minute. However, the accuracy,
surface finish, and part strength are not as good as some other additive processes
• At the end the part is infiltrated with a sealant to improve strength and surface finish
• the term "3D printing" originally referred to a process that deposits a binder material onto a
powder bed with inkjet printer heads layer by layer. More recently, the term is being used in
popular vernacular to encompass a wider variety of additive manufacturing techniques.
United States and global technical standards use the official term additive manufacturing for
this broader sense
• Abbreviation: 3DP
• Materialtype: Powder
• Materials: Ferrousmetalssuchas
Stainlesssteel; Non-ferrousmetalssuchas Bronze;
Elastomers; Composites; Ceramics
• Min layerthickness: 0,05mm
• Surfacefinish: Rough
• Buildspeed: VeryFast
• Applications: Conceptmodels, Limited
functionaltesting, Architectural&
landscapemodels,
Consumergoods& packaging
 Surface modification Techniques
• Surface modification is the act of modifying the surface of a material by bringing physical, chemical or

.
biological characteristics different from the ones originally found on the surface of a material
• This modification is usually made to solid materials, but it is possible to find examples of the modification
to the surface of specific liquids.
• The modification can be done by different methods with a view to altering a wide range of characteristics
of the surface, such as: roughness, hydrophilicity, surface charge,surface energy, biocompatibility and
reactivity
• The selection of technology to engineer the surface is an integral part of an
engineering component design.
• The first step in surface modification technique to determine the surface and
substrate engineering requirements which involves one or more of the
properties like wear resistance, corrosion and erosion resistance and thermal
resistance, fatigue, creep strength, pitting resistance etc.
• The various surface treatments generally used in engineering practice and
presented as under
Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD)
• In these processes, thermal energy heats the gases in the coating chamber and drives the
deposition reaction and then this reactant gas mixture (mixture of gas precursors and coating
material also known as a reactive vapour)impinges on the substrate.
• CVD processes can be used to deposit coating materials, form foils, powders, composite materials
in the shape of spherical particles, filaments, and whiskers and also in structural applications,
optical, chemical, photovoltaic and electronics.. Start-up costs are typically very expensive.
• CVD includes sputtering, ion plating, plasma-enhanced CVD, lowpressure CVD, laser-enhanced
CVD, active-reactive evaporation, ion beam, laser beam evaporation, and many other variations.
• These variants are distinguished by the manner in which precursor gases are converted into the
reactive gas mixtures.
• It is usually in the form of a metal halide, metal carbonyl, a hydride, or an organ metallic compound.
• The precursor may be in gas, liquid, or solid form. Gases are delivered to the chamber under
normal temperatures and pressures, whereas solids and liquids require high temperatures and/or
low pressures in conjunction with a carrier gas.
• Once in the chamber, energy is applied to the substrate to facilitate the reaction of the precursor
material upon impact.
• The liga nd species is liberated from the metal species to be deposited upon the substrate to form
the coating.
• Because most CVD reactions are endothermic, the reaction may be controlled by regulating the
amount of energy input.
Disadvantages of CVD, the precursor chemicals should not be toxic, and exhaust
system should be designed to handle any reacted and unreacted vapors that
remain after the coating process is complete.
Other waste effluents from the process must be managed appropriately.
Retrieval, recycle, and disposal methods are dictated by the nature of the
chemical.
For example, auxiliary chemical reactions must be performed to render toxic or
corrosive materials harmless, condensates must be collected.
 physical vapor deposition (PVD)
• In PVD processes, the work piece is subjected to plasma bombardment.
• In CVD processes, thermal energy heats the gases in the coating chamber and drives the deposition
reaction
• In this process, the work piece or substrate is subjected to high temperature vacuum
evaporation or plasma sputter bombardment to deposit thin films by the condensation of a
vaporized form of the material onto substrate surfaces.
• This process contains the three major techniques; evaporation, sputtering and ion plating. It
produces a dense, hard coating. The primary PVD methods are.ion plating, ion implantation,
sputtering and laser surface alloying
• PVD is used in the manufacture of semiconductor wafers, aluminized PET film for snack bags
and balloons, cutting tools for metalworking and generally used for extreme thin films like
atomic layers and mostly for small substrates
• Physical methods produce the atoms that deposit on the substrate
– Evaporation
– Sputtering
• Sometimes called vacuum deposition because the process is usually done in an evacuated
chamber
• PVD is used for metals.
• Dielectrics can be deposited using specialized equipment
 Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating
• By using a low temperature, ion beam assisted deposition process, this relatively recently
developed materials is applied as a coating of a few nanometers in thickness.
• Less expensive than diamond films, but with cylinder properties as diamond, DLC has
applications in such areas as tools and dies, gears, bearing, micro electro-mechanical
systems, and micro scale probes.
• The acronym DLC means Diamond - Like Carbon. This is a special coating, very
variable in its characteristics suitable for different applications.
• The film that covers a substrate can have thicknesses of a few nanometers up to a
little more of the micrometer.
• The DLC coating combines high hardness, low coefficient of friction and this makes
it very useful for increasing the efficiency of parts of machines, tools and
microgears.
• Thanks also to the remarkable resistance to chemical attack and biocompatibility is
used in jewelry and medical engineering. The first information of applications
dating back to 1970 , that is, when A. Aisemberg and R. Chabot published reports
of their research on the possibility to deposit thin carbon films on substrates of
different nature (crystalline silicon, glass, stainless steel).
• in this context is that, given some properties strikingly similar to those of
diamond, was assigned this name.
 Evaporation
• Rely on thermal energy supplied to the crucible or boat to
evaporate atoms
• Evaporated atoms travel through the evacuated space
between the source and the sample and stick to the sample
– Few, if any, chemical reactions occur due to low pressure
– Can force a reaction by flowing a gas near the crucible
• Surface reactions usually occur very rapidly and there is very
little rearrangement of the surface atoms after sticking
– Thickness uniformity and shadowing by surface topography, and step
coverage are issues
Evaporation
 Sputtering
 Wide variety of materials can be
deposited because material is put into
the vapor phase by a mechanical rather
than a chemical or thermal process
(including alloys and insulators).
 Excellent step coverage of the sharp
topologies because of a higher chamber
pressure, causing large number of
scattering events as target material
travels towards wafers.
 Film stress can be controlled to some
degree by the chamber pressure and RF http://www.knovel.com
power.
 Deposition conditions
• Temperature: Room to higher
• Pressure: 100mtorr
– compromise between increasing number of Ar
ions and increasing scattering of Ar ions with
neutral Ar atoms
• Power
– Heating of target material
• Low temperature metals can melt from temperature
rise caused by energy transfer from Ar ions
 Sputter sources
• Magnetron
– Magnetic field traps freed electron near target
– Move in helical pattern, causing large number of scattering events
with Ar gas – creating high density of ionized Ar
• Ion beam
– Plasma of ions generated away from target and then accelerated
toward start by electric field
• Reactive sputtering
– Gas used in plasma reacts with target material to form compond that
is deposited on wafer
• Ion-assisted deposition
– Wafer is biased so that some Ar ion impact its surface, density the
deposited film. May sputter material off of wafer prior to deposition
for in-situ cleaning.
 Sputtering
• Advantages
– Large-size targets, simplifying the
deposition of thins with uniform
thickness over large wafers
– Film thickness is easily controlled
by fixing the operating parameters
and simply adjusting the
deposition time
– Control of the alloy composition,
step coverage, grain structure is
easier obtained through
evaporation
– Sputter-cleaning of the substrate
in vacuum prior to film deposition
– Device damage from X-rays
generated by electron beam
evaporation is avoided.
• Disadvantages
– High capital expenses are
required
– Rates of deposition of some
materials (such as SiO2) are
relatively low
– Some materials such as organic
solids are easily degraded by
ionic bombardment
– Greater probability to introduce
impurities in the substrate
because the former operates
under a higher pressure
 Plasma spraying process
• The plasma spray process is shown on the Figure 1. When the plasma jet is
formed, a powder through nozzles carried by the "carrier" gas is injected into it .
• Accelerated and melted powder particles leave the plasma jet in the form of
molten particle stream.
• The molten particles bombard the substrate surface where they cool forming a
coating. Also particles may be cooled and collected in the form of spheres
• . Every molten particle has a high thrust which leads to high bond strength of the
coat . The temperature of the substrate remains below 100 ˚C. Thickness of the
coat varies between 0.3 and 1 mm, but it may be also up to 5 mm .
• The basic function of the plasma jet is to heat the powder particles to the melting
point and to accelerate them to the highest possible speed.
• The whole spraying process of the formation of a coating can be divided into three
sub processes A, B, C (Figure 1)
• he plasma spray process is mostly used in normal atmospheric conditions (air or
atmospheric plasma spray - APS). It also has the ability to operate in an inert
atmosphere using method of Low Preasure Plasma Spraying (LPPS) or Vacuum
Plasma Spraying (VPS). This enables deposition of materials sensitive to oxidation
(Ti, Mg)
 Pulsed laser deposition (PLD
• Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a thin film deposition technique where a high
power pulsed laser beam is focused inside a vacuum chamber to strike a target of
the desired composition.
• Material is then vaporized from the target and deposited as a thin film on a
substrate.
• This process can occur in ultra high vacuum or in the presence of a background
gas, such as oxygen which is commonly used when depositing oxides to fully
oxygenate the deposited films.
• PLD is applicable to almost any material; in particular to compounds that are
difficult or impossible to produce in thin-film form by other techniques.
• Examples of such materials include complex ceramic materials such as high-
temperature superconductors and certain magnetic materials