Aerospace

Aerospace was one of the first industries to adopt thermal spray coatings in the design of precision engineered components. There are a number of thermal spray applications within this industry which are used for engine components and for sliding wear resistance on landing gear and hydraulic actuator parts.

1

Landing gears and actuators: hard chrome replacement

Hard chrome has been extensively used for more than 70 years for the reduction of wear and, in certain applications, of corrosion. Thermal spray coatings are an environmentally safe alternative to HC coatings, in addition, the performance of HVOF sprayed coatings is far better to chrome in wear, fatigue, and impact resistance, and is at least similar in corrosion resistance. Metallic carbide coatings like WC-CoCr, applied by HVOF technology, are qualified by main OEM’s, including Boeing and Airbus, for sliding wear resistance on components of hydraulic actuators ad on components of landing gear. Flame Spray’s Caboflam™ series coatings can replace hard chromium in demanding applications such as aerospace landing gear, actuators and jet engine bearing applications. Flame Spray is a qualified supplier for components for Airbus, AgustaWestland and Bombardier. Caboflam™ Caboflam H trademark identifies Flame Spray’s technological processes for carbide coatings in metallic matrix through high-pressure combustion equipment (HP/HVOF). These types of coatings exhibit excellent bond strength, higher micro hardness and density than those produced with traditional detonation equipment.
2

Engine

The application of coatings in the jet-engine section of an airplane are very similar to the ones explained in the IGT markets. In these severe environments components must face different kinds of degradation phenomena, like high temperature oxidation and corrosion, thermal fatigue, erosion and wear in the hot section and wet corrosion, droplet erosion and fouling in the cold section. Flame Spray Hungary is qualified for application on engine components and it is NADCAP certified. Flame Spray technologies and processes, like High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF), Air Plasma Spray(APS), diffusion and slurry coatings are used to guarantee the protection of these components and increase their service life. For coating specifications please consult the Gas Turbine section.