What factors should be considered when designing a thermal spray process

       There are many process parameters involved in coating preparation. Taking the plasma spraying process as an example, the links involved in the coating preparation process include the following:



1) The properties of the base material. Including its mechanical and thermal properties, oxidation resistance, part size and shape and surface pretreatment.



2) Properties of spraying materials. Including composition, phase stability, powder form, melting point, particle size distribution, fluidity and density, etc.



3) Preparation process parameters. Including process method (APS, IPS, VPS and RF, etc.), spray gun type, nozzle model, current, gas, powder feeding position, powder feeding rate, spraying distance, spray gun moving speed, substrate preheating and cooling, etc.



4) Coating performance testing. Including coating composition and structure, bonding strength, thermodynamic properties, thickness, residual stress and coating porosity.



Each of the links mentioned above has a major impact on the quality of the coating. In order to obtain a coating that meets the performance requirements and has stable quality, it is necessary to optimize the design of the key factors affecting the performance of the coating, understand its influence laws, find the main factors affecting the quality and stability of the coating, and strictly control them. Therefore, the optimization design of coating preparation process is a necessary stage of coating development.