| |
COLD SPRAY
TECHNOLOGY:
Cold gas dynamic spray is a revolutionary
technology that offers many advantages over traditional thermal
spray techniques. It is a US patented technology based on
a scientific discovery made in the former Soviet Union in
the early 1980's. Cold gas dynamic spray technology is based
on the discovery that particles moving at a supersonic speed
adhere to a base surface upon collision with that surface.
Since 1996, cold gas dynamic spray has been in full-scale
production outside the USA. Now, it is finally commercially
available in the USA through Rus Sonic Technology, Inc. We
offer an extensive and versatile product line, which includes
both "off-the-shelf" standard, spray machinery as
well as customized machinery designed and built to specific
customer specifications for custom applications.
OUR UNIQUE COLD GAS DYNAMIC TECHNOLOGY. We are the
cold spray manufacturer in the world that can spray hard alloys
with pure air as the gas carrier. Other manufacturers claim
to spray hard alloys but they require helium or other exotic
and expensive gas as their air carrier. Other manufacturers
claim to have developed cold spray equipment but they can
only spray soft metals. Still others claim to be able to sell
their cold spray equipment in the commercial market, but we
are the only manufacturer currently able to mass produce our
equipment and provide portable equipment for the field. To
our knowledge all other cold spray manufacturers must spray
inside an enclosed chamber, making practical applications
nearly impossible.
 |
COATING TECHNOLOGY.
The application of cold gas dynamic spray technology as
a metal spray coating method is straightforward: A powdered
metal, metal/ceramic blend, or polymer is accelerated
by compressed air through a supersonic nozzle and is sprayed
on the surface to be coated. The hardness, porosity, and
thickness of deposited coatings can be controlled by adjustments
to the air pressure, pre-heater, and nozzle. Surface materials
include metal and metal alloys, ceramic and glass, polymers,
paper, and net screen and foil. |
UNIQUE CHARICTERISTICS. Traditional thermal spray coating
methods (plasma, electric arc, HVOF) require high temperature
of material particles to adhere to a surface. Typically this
temperature exceeds the material melting point thereby creating
problems inherent in thermal spray. In cold gas dynamic spray
- high temperatures are not required. This is what makes the
technology unique. This technology utilizes the surface interaction
of particles moving at supersonic velocities between mach
2-3 (required velocity is dependent upon application and gas
carrier ). Since high temperatures are not required in cold
gas dynamic spray, adhesion and porosity are superior to thermal
spray. Traditional thermal methods -by definition- create
undesirable chemistry changes and associated stresses along
with defect causing oxidation. Cold gas dynamic spray utilizes
supersonic velocity to spray material so fast into a surface
that a strong bond is formed without the undesirable side
effects inherent in conventional thermal methods. This technology
has substantial benefits over traditional coating methods
due to low temperatures, low porosity, and superior adhesion.
The attractiveness of the cold gas dynamic spray method is
that the application equipment and deposited coatings have
no limitations inherent in other thermal coating methods.
The coating quality and adhesion are superior without the
complexity of detonation or exotic gas deposition methods.
Cold gas dynamic spray technology offers flexibility and economy
for a wide variety of applications in a multitude of industries.
Advantages
|
Uniform
Microstructure / Low
Porosity / High Adhesion
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruthenium
(Ru) Microstructure
of a border between surface & coating.
|
Microstructure
of Cu+Al2O3 coating
on steel surface
|
Microstructure
of 8812 WC-Co coating on steel surface.
|
|
- Low
Porosity/High Adhesion.
Once the material collides with the substrate
at supersonic velocity it disrupts the
metal-oxide films on both the particle
and substrate surfaces bonding their atomic
structures together creating high-density
bonds with porosity less than 0.5%.
- Uniform
Microstructure. The material
is deposited on a surface at supersonic
velocities and remains at or near room
temperature until impact. The velocity
upon impact is so great that a tight uniform
bond is formed without the undesirable
chemistry changes and stresses typically
found in thermal spray. This process leaves
the original structure of the substrate
intact.
- Negligible
Temperature.
Negligible heat is necessary to heat metal
powders prior to depositing on surface.
The coating is deposited under normal
atmospheric pressure in any air temperature
and air humidity.
- Negligible
to No Oxidation.
Because there are no chemistry changes
and stresses typically found in thermal
spray, cold gas dynamic deposited materials
exhibit negligible to no defect causing
oxidation. This advantage applies specifically
to corrosion prevention applications.
- Safety.
Because negligible heat is
required, this technology can be safely
applied in inherently dangerous industrial
areas.
- Environmentally
Friendly. No
high temperatures, dangerous gases or
radiation, and no chemically aggressive
wastes.
- Chemically
Dissimilar Materials.
It is possible to bond chemically dissimilar
materials with bonds that transition from
one material to another. This advantage
applies specifically to using cold gas
dynamic spray as a low-temperature (safe
environment) alternative to welding.
- Versatile
Product Offering. Standard
or customized equipment. Metal spray ranging
from hard to soft. Portable and compact
equipment available for field service
application and repair. Multi-spray nozzles
available for wide-area spray and 360-degree
rotating nozzle available for spraying
inner/outer pipe applications. Powder
reclamation and air filtration systems
are available.
|
|
|
|
Technical Specifications
Based on Standard Equipment. Characteristics
and Capabilities
Change Significantly Due to Custom Design &
Application
POWDER
MATERIALS
- Metals,
metal blends, metal alloys, and ceramics:
WC-Co, CrC-NiCr, Al, Cu, Al2O3, SiO2, SiC,
Ni, Cr, Fe, B, C, Ti, Cr2O3, Zn, B2O, TiO2,
WC, ZnB2, (TiB2+Ni+MoS2), (Ti+Ni), (TiC+Ni+MoS2),
(TiB2+Ni), (C, Co, Fe, W), (C, Cr, Ni),
(Al, Ni), (Al, Hf, Fe, Mg, Si, Ti, Y, Zr)
- Polymers:
epoxy resin, polyurethane, thermal plastic
materials
SUBSTRATE MATERIALS
- Metals
and metal alloys; ceramics and glass; polymers;
paper; and net screen & foil.
COATING
CHARACTERISTICS
- Adhesion
and cohesion :
4,350 to 14,500 psi
- Hardness
:
40 to 102 HRC
- Roughness
:
Rz
= 20 to 40
- Porosity
:
less than 0.5%
- Max
thickness of a coating :
5 micron to unlimited
EQUIPMENT
CAPABILITIES
- Air
consumption range:
11 to 21 ft3/min
- Air
(gas) pressure :
58
to 150 psi
- Air
impact :
59
to 931 degree F
- Velocity
of the sprayed particles
by air :
492 to 4,921 ft/sec
- Width
of spraying stripe for one pass :
0.4
to 2.0 in
- Powder
consumption :4.4
to 33 lbs/hr
- Efficiency
of spraying a coating :
2.2
to 18 lbs/hr
- Spraying
efficiency :
3.2
to 54 ft2 /hr
POWDER CONSUMPTION AND SPRAYING EFFICIENCY
CHART*
|
Air/gas
Consumption
|
Powder
Consumption
|
Coating
Deposition Efficiency
|
|
10.6
ft3 /min
|
4.4
lbs/hr
|
3.2
ft2 /hr (2.2 lbs/hr)
|
|
35.3
ft3 /min
|
16.5
lbs/hour
|
26.9
ft2 /hour (8.8 lbs/hour)
|
|
70.6
ft3 /min
|
33
lbs/hour
|
53.8
ft2 /hour (17.6 lbs/hour)
|
|
*Deposition efficiency
is dependent on powder type and ranges from
50% to 85%. Powder consumption efficiency can
also be increased through purchase and use of
a reclamation system.
|
|
|
|
