ICV GmbH

The greatest significance of all thermal spraying processes has this procedure because of its versatile application possibilities. In the plasma spraying the coating material is processed in powder form, whereat the powder is partial melted  or fused by a high temperature plasma flame. The plasma is generated by an arc of a gas such as argon, helium, nitrogen, hydrogen or burns in the mixture of these gases. This creates a plasma flame with a temperature of up to 20,000 °C. The arc  occures between the electrode and the nozzle. Ceramic materials can be processed due to the high temperatures.

When high-speed flame spraying, a continous combustion gas under high pressure occurs inside the combustion chamber. The powdery spray additive is supplied centrally. Very high flow rates occur in the gas jet, because of the high pressure which is generated in the combustion chamber with a fuel gas-oxygen mixture and with downstream expansion nozzle. Thereby the spray particles are accelerated to very high particle speeds, which allows to produce extremely dense and very good adhesive spray coatings. Combustible gas, propane, propylene, ethylene, acetylene and hydrogen can be used. Kerosene is used as fuel for working with liquid fuel burner . The method is particularly suitable for processing carbide materials (very good wear protection) such as tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, silicon carbide, titanium carbide ... The layer thicknesses are typically less than 1/10 mm.

When we are talking about flame spraying powder, the powder spray addition is partial melted or fused in a acetylen-oxygen flame and hurled on the prepared surface. In the powders distinction are flowing and self-adhesive powder. The self-flowing powder usually requires an additional thermal post-treatment. This "melt" is mainly done with oxygen-acetylene torches. Through the thermal process the adhension of the coating on the base material is considerably increased and the sprayed layer is  hermetically sealed against gas and liquids. With this procedure, metal powder, powdered metal alloys, ceramic powder and plastic powder can be processed.