W. Kroemmer, P. Heinrich, Linde AG, Unterschleissheim, Germany
After oxide-free copper coatings were successfully launched as a viable application, the cold spray process was met with a great deal of interest from new industrial sectors. The range of possible materials was substantially extended and tested under laboratory conditions. Further development of the hardware, in particular, means that materials currently used can be processed with a higher efficiency and quality. Moreover, new coatings which, to date, could only be produced with helium, are now made possible by using lower-cost nitrogen.