Thermal spray materials selection guide

Selecting coating materials properly is the key work to ensure the property of the coatings needed. When selecting the coating material, first consider the working conditions of the work piece and required performance of the coating, and also consider the material, batch, economy and the proposed thermal spraying method. According to the function of the coating, it can be broadly classified into corrosion-resistant coatings, abrasion-resistant coatings, anti-friction and sealing coatings, high-temperature thermal barrier coatings, insulating or conductive coatings and dimensional repair coatings, etc. WISDOM can provide corresponding spraying materials with these coating performance, you can contact us for any requirements.

The cause of the failure of the surface-coated work piece in use is not often caused by a single factor, so there is not necessarily a simple relationship between meeting the requirements of working conditions and the coating performance. The working conditions should be analyzed in detail, and take the properties like coating structure, physical, chemical, and mechanical properties into consideration according to references or experimental data to determine one or several coating materials. Wear-resistant coatings are one of the main application areas of surface coating technology. Although there is a rough relationship between coating hardness and wear resistance, hardness does not exactly represent the wear resistance of the surface coating. Because different wear types have different requirements about material performance, and are often affected by impact, corrosion, fatigue and temperature while being worn.

The choice of surface coatings material can’t blindly pursue high performance or expensive coating materials to avoid unnecessary waste. The price can not be used as the standard to select coating materials. In contrast, cheaper coating materials should be used on the premise of meeting working conditions, which is particularly important in mass production. For example, favor iron based instead of nickel based alloy coating materials.

When selecting surface coating materials, generally follow these steps:

(1) Analyze working conditions and part performance, and understand the cause of failure and requirements for coating performance;

(2) List coating materials available for selection;

(3) Analyze the compatibility of the candidate material with the matrix material and thermal spray method that can be used;

(4) Conduct laboratory or field tests when necessary;

(5) Determine the coating material by taking the service life, cost and factory conditions into consideration;

(6) Determine the surface coating method and develop coating process.