SUBSTITUTING THERMAL SPRAYING FOR ELECTROPLATING

Daren Gansert and George Grenier Bender Machine, Inc. 

To date we have a number of thermal spray processes which we can use to improve a part s surface characteristics, namely  

Wire flame spraying Electric arc flame spraying Powder flame spraying Plasma flame spraying Hypersonic flame spraying 

These processes use either wire or powder feedstock materials. 

In comparison with other wire and powder-formed coatings, arc sprayed coatings are generally more porous. This porosity is unacceptable for components requiring critical surface finishes, for which we use powder 

---