Rotaplasma applications in the automotive industry

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Rotaplasma applications in the automotive industry

Barbezat, G. / Keller, S. / Wegner, K.H.

In the automotive industry, the need for lower manufacturing costs, use of less strategic materials, easier, quicker and more flexible routes for manufacturing are being looked for continuously. The environmental questions relating to the use of galvanic coatings and the release of Ni debris into the exhaust are also gaining in importance. The plasma process has the advantage of being able to spray any type of powder material thus becoming independent of expensive or strategic materials. In the area of cylinder bores a major advance is taking place in the use of rotating spray devices, either using high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) or plasma spraying. This paper covers the plasma spraying of aluminium cylinder block bores and other components using a rotating plasma gun capable of producing coatings of controlled porosity and thikness. It also deals with the aspects of process control, reliability, the interactions between the substrate material and surface preparation and provides an interpretation of the metallurgical coating structures that are produced.