Improved Thermal Spray Consistency Via Plume Sensors-An Aeropsace Perspective

Plume Sensor Technology can assist the conventional thermal spray shop to improve process consistency and output for many different process categories.  In spraying of abradables, analysis of the powder injector site with the Sprayview System can determine the best injection site and combination of powder and carrier gas.  For Cold Spray with the critical nature of terminal velocity for many materials and dependence upon particle size/distribution, the Cold Spray Meter can assess the seed and size distribution in the plume via laser technology.  With HVOF and any other conventional thermal spray process, the balance of thermal energy (temperature), intensity   (powder feed and thermal mass), and speed (velocity) are critical to process success and can be measured by the Accuraspray System with the additional input of monitoring maximum substrate temperature on the same screen.  The Plume Sensor data can be relied upon in conjunction and correlation with microstuctural, tensile, and hardness data to meet and exceed stringent aerospace specifications.  Cases studies for both reduction of testing and cost savings will be presented.