Plasma Spraying Equipment

Plasma is a term to describe gas, which has been raised to such a high temperature that it ionises and becomes electrically conductive. During atmospheric plasma arc spraying, the plasma is created by an electric arc burning within the nozzle of a plasma spray gun. The arc gas is formed into a plasma jet as it emerges from the nozzle.

Powder particles are injected into the jet where they melt and are then transferred to the substrate at high velocity, producing a strongly adherent coating.

Almost any material can be plasma sprayed including metals, ceramics and plastics. The very high plasma temperature (about 12000 °C) tends to produce higher oxide contents in the coating than are typical of HVOF coatings. The plasma spray process is also sometimes referred to as low-pressure plasma spray.

Because of the high temperature and high thermal energy of the plasma jet, materials with high melting points can be sprayed, with plasma spraying widely applied in the production of high quality sprayed coatings.

Applications

  • Spraying of seal ring grooves in the compressor area of aeroengine turbines with tungsten carbide/cobalt to resist fretting wear.
  • Spraying of zirconia-based thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) onto turbine combustion chambers.
  • Spraying of wear resistant alumina and chromium oxide ceramic onto printing rolls for subsequent laser and diamond engraving/etching.
  • Spraying of molybdenum alloys onto diesel engine piston rings.
  • Biocompatible hydroxyapatite coatings for prostheses.

PS 50 Metallisation Plasma Spray system

 

With 90% of all plasma coatings being sprayed with 40Kw or less, the Metallisation PS50M system is designed to meet Aerospace standards as well as the general thermal spray market.

The system comprises of six main elements:

  • The Plasma spray gun PLA5000
  • Mass flow control unit
  • PS50M powder feeder
  • PS50M inverter power supply
  • Supplies package
  • Heat exchanger to suit site conditions

Features of the PS 50:

  • Simple to operate and maintain
  • Accepts a full range of plasma metallising materials including metals, ceramics and plastics.
  • Long electrode life
  • Low power consumption
  • Low noise
  • Low substrate temperatures
  • Straight and deflector plasma extension nozzles available