Due to the recent advances in thermal spraying technology, considerable research emphasis has been placed on the development of models capable of predicting what happens at various stages during the process. In order to gain a deeper knowledge of the mechanisms involved in thermal spraying, it is necessary to isolate the factors affecting these constitutive properties (for example residual stress generation) and in doing so quantify the effect of the individual factors. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used in the present research to predict the residual stress generated in a WC-Co deposit produced via the HVOF process. The model is compared to an analytical technique and validated experimentally, the result of which provides a modelling procedure with an accuracy greater than 80% of that found experimentally. Combining FEA techniques with analytical and experimental results will enhance the understanding of residual stress in thermal spray techniques.