Four advantages of thermal spraying

You may have already heard about thermal spraying, a surface covering technique popular in the aerospace and automotive industries, but what are the specific benefits of such a process and why are more and more industries looking to thermal spraying as an option?

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What is thermal spraying?

Thermal spraying is a process of surface covering. It heats the covering material to super-hot temperatures; next, the covering material is sprayed at a high velocity (high pressure) onto the surface that needs covering. The process of heating and high-pressure spraying causes the material to land on the part in tiny droplets, which makes for an even covering. The process is fast, versatile, low in cost, and can offer excellent functional coatings. Let’s find out more about the benefits of thermal spraying.

Versatility

One of the major benefits that thermal spraying has over other types of surface covering processes is that it is hugely versatile. The process allows for a wide number of coverage solutions to be used, including metal, polymer and ceramic. A greater choice means the same process can be used to cover a wider variety of products or a variety of parts that make a whole, such as an aircraft or a car. This versatility is one of the reasons that thermal spraying has huge advantages over other types of covering.

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The versatility of the process extends to the ways in which it is carried out. Types of thermal spraying include flame spraying, high-velocity fuel and thermal plasma spray, which can be carried out for you by companies such as https://www.poeton.co.uk/standard-treatments/plasma-coatings/.

Functional coatings

More than just a process for offering a protective coating, thermal spraying can be used to create what is known as a ‘functional coating’. This means the coating does more than simply adding a layer of protection to the part or object; for example, a functional coating can act as a barrier or insulation. A functional coating can also offer more protection than a standard coating.

Fast-acting

Relatively high depositions of surface coverings can be applied in a quick timeframe in the process of thermal spraying. It is a much faster process than other types of surface coverage. The speed of the process makes it popular within a range of industries that need quick turnarounds on production and maintenance.

Low in cost

The nature of thermal spraying and the fact that it doesn’t take very long means it is relatively low in cost compared with other processes for surface covering. It requires less labour than many other processes; what’s more, the same equipment can be used for a number of different coating types. This low cost makes it popular with businesses.

In addition to being low in cost, fast and versatile, thermal spraying offers excellent durability and protection to parts. Overall, the benefits of thermal spraying give it a significant edge over slower, more costly and less versatile ways of applying a surface.