The aerospace industry is using advanced technology to create amazing aircrafts for defense, satellite, propulsion, space travel, and more purposes. The sustainability and durability of these machines depends on the quality of the parts used. The answer is thermal spray coatings to ensure the longevity and usefulness of critical parts.
How Thermal Spray Coating Works
Thermal spraying is the process of coating a surface with heated metals, alloys, ceramics, composites, and plastics.
These materials are combined into a wire or powder and heated until the blend is half-liquid. Then, it is sprayed at a high velocity towards a surface in the form of thousands of tiny, individual droplets.
This process can be used to both refurbish old parts and enhance new ones by fighting corrosion, chipping, fouling, and wear. With the high demands of today’s aerospace market, thermal spray protective coating technology is becoming more of a necessity for aerospace engineers and technicians.
How Thermal Spray Coating Protects Critical Aerospace Parts
At one time, hard chromium plating was the main technique used to strengthen aerospace materials. However, hard chromium plating is linked to numerous health issues, and thermal spray coating is now considered safer and more reliable.
Often times, thermal spray coating is performed on old parts that need to undergo industrial grinding in order to remove their former coating and allow the thermal spray to hold better. It’s usually cheaper to refurbish old parts than to buy new ones, as thermal spray treatment not only addresses the quality of aerospace materials, but makes them stronger than they were when they were first bought.
Thermal spray coating has several different variations, including, plasma spraying, detonation spraying, wire arc spraying, flame spraying, HVOF, HVAF, warm spraying, and cold spraying.
Each of these options has different applications and benefits that range from increased heat resistance to improved lubricity to enhanced electrical conductivity. Additionally, thermal spray coating can make materials either hydrophilic or hydrophobic; whichever is needed for your job.
Applications for Specific Parts Used in Aerospace
There are many moving parts involved in supporting next-generation aircrafts.
Aside from the tremendous mathematics and planning requirements, there are specific requirements for nozzles, crank shafts, compressor casings, blades, wings, bearings, and axles involved in launching, stabilizing, and landing the aircraft. Not to mention hundreds of pumps, pistons, gears, couplings, seals, fasteners, and shafts — all of which need to be working perfectly for the operation to be successful.
With this much responsibility resting on equipment managers and field technicians, it’s no wonder that most of them are looking to thermal spray coating to ensure a smooth flight.
Without this approach, engine turbine blades would not be able to withstand the extreme heat of a launch, bearings and axles in the landing gear would not be able to help the craft land safely, and jet wings would not be strong enough to counter intense wind pressure.
In almost every aspect of aerospace, thermal spray coating is strongly advised.
Meanwhile, the aerospace industry is continuing to expand. Fields such as meteorology, communications, navigation, transportation, and military surveillance have become more dependent on aerospace for their development and continuation.
Designing and creating satellites and spacecrafts quickly and efficiently is growing more important than ever.
Utilize Thermal Spray Coatings to Meet Industry Demand
With the demands placed on the aerospace industry, your parts need to be serviced quickly and efficiently to meet critical deadlines.
Our company understands the importance of creating strong and durable machine parts. That’s why we use the highest quality thermal spray coating technology to treat each part according to your needs in a quick and thorough manner.
Furthermore, our process is approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), giving you assurance that our process creates the best value for your investment.
Find out more about our thermal spray coating technology. Then, contact us about utilizing our protective coating to support your critical aerospace parts.
