Citation
(2012), "Plasma technology inc opts for metallisation equipment", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 59 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2012.12859cab.004
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Plasma technology inc opts for metallisation equipment
Article Type: Industrial news From: Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Volume 59, Issue 3
Plasma Technology Incorporated (PTI) is so impressed with the Metallisation Pistol Control Console (PCC) (Figure 4), the company has purchased seven units and is planning to add a further seven units in 2012. The Metallisation PCC has enabled PTI to enhance the spray capabilities of its HVOF spray systems.
The PCC provides efficient and effective control of the Jet Kote™ pistols, manufactured by Deloro Stellite and used by PTI. Although not used by PTI, the PCC can also be interfaced to other HVOF and Plasma spray pistols.
PTI, based in Torrance CA and South Windsor CT, provides surface engineering solutions to some of the largest industrial companies around the world. Both facilities are NADCAP (National Aerospace Defense and Contractors Accreditation Program) approved, as well as qualified and approved to service FAA/EASA, all major airlines, the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Military.
PTI was founded in 1969, as a supplier of plasma applied coatings and has delivered high quality solutions to a diverse customer base since then. PTI now offers over 300 coating solutions, applied using eight different techniques. There are four commonly used processes in thermal spraying: High Velocity Oxy Fuel Coating (HVOF), High and Low Velocity Plasma Coating, Flamespray and Wire Arc Coating.
In 2010, PTI purchased seven PCC systems from UK based Metallisation and is totally satisfied with the performance, reliability and efficiency of the equipment. Bob Dowell, President and CEO at PTI, says: “The equipment has been in operation now for well over a year without any problems. The control systems are very precise using a mass flow control, which assures consistent control of our process when coating customer parts. This is very important to us. Our customers have high expectations and the Metallisation equipment allows us to meet those standards.”
The PCC is made up of three components, a gas box, the operator interface and an optional powder feeder and, which can be used to control Jet Kote pistols or similar. The Metallisation PCC enables the operator to produce consistent coating thickness and quality time after time. The consistency and repeatability of coatings is critical to the aerospace industry and to PTI customers, which makes the Metallisation PCC ideal, as it has a number of programmable options to enable operators to achieve this.
The PCC also has an unlimited number of pre-set recipes that can be manually input, which enable the operator to pre-set the levels of fuel (liquid or gas), oxygen and powder required to deliver a specific coating quality and spray rate. The PCC can also be interfaced with a barcode reader, or other external input device, to set parameters depending upon the coating to be sprayed.
A major advantage of the PCC is that the system has a data-logging programme that will record the levels of fuel (liquid or gas), powder, oxygen, at regular pre-determined intervals, and will hold the data in the system’s database. This provides an audit trail of the spray parameters at any particular time.
Metallisation introduced the new touch screen HMI, computer and mass flow controlled HVOF and plasma systems in response to the demand for enhanced controlled systems. The new more efficient equipment replaced the older rotameter style spray systems and also the mass flow controlled push button system. This has enabled coatings companies to meet the increasing demands of customers and industry for consistent, repeatable coatings with precise data acquisition, while maintaining the simple use and operation of existing guns and other components.
In the HVOF process liquid fuel or gas and oxygen are fed via a pre-mixing system, at high pressure, into a combustion chamber. In the chamber, they burn to produce a hot, high pressure gas stream, which heats and accelerates the powder particles inside a secondary nozzle so that they impact with tremendous kinetic energy upon the substrate material being coated. Advantages of the HVOF process are the high bond strengths and the coating quality, which exceeds industry standards.
The PCC uses a complex level of technology to deliver reliable, consistent and high quality coatings, while maintaining a simple, intuitive operation interface. The touch screen is user friendly and delivers simple pre-programmable processes that can also be colour coded.
The system can be manually operated or can be fully sequenced to include start-up, operation and shut down and has inbuilt safety interlocks to prevent it running without the presence of coolant or gases. PTI has integrated the Metallisation PCC with its existing pistols with huge success and uses the equipment to coat a wide range of customer components. PTI currently sprays PTI 226 tungsten carbide cobalt chrome, which is replacing hard chrome plating.
The coatings are used to protect industrial components from corrosion and wear. For example, Jet engine compressor blades erode in service as a result of abrasive particles impinging at high speed. This problem is solved by coating them with 0.002″-0.004″ thickness of tungsten carbide/cobalt, which protects the blades up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit, or alternatively a chromium carbide cermet coating, can be applied and the blades are protected at temperatures of up to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit.
PTI’s customers include many large companies in the design manufacture and servicing of aircraft engines, industrial gas turbines, civil and military helicopters and the aerospace industry. Just a few of the many customers include Boeing, Goodrich, Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, Bell Helicopter and Lockheed Martin.
The versatility, reliability and repeatability provided by the PCC make it a very attractive solution for the aerospace industry. Bob Dowell continues: “At PTI we do use other HVOF systems at both of our plants but I am happy to speak to anyone about the Metallisation units, as from our experience I would recommend they purchase the Metallisation equipment. The expertise of the technical department at Metallisation is one of the company’s great strengths and the team carried out the installations, commissioning and training for us. I know Metallisation has a lot of experience supporting customers worldwide so didn’t have any issues in choosing a company based outside North America. Besides its local distributors, you also get support from Metallisation staff based at the UK head office so there is plenty of assistance when you need it.”
Established in the UK in 1922, Metallisation is synonymous with metal spraying to a diverse range of industries around the world. Thermal metal spraying is a technology, which protects and greatly extends the life of a wide variety of components, structures, equipment and vessels, in the most hostile environments and in situations where protective surface coatings are vital for longevity.
More information is available from: www.metallisation.com