Thermal spraying offers the option of applying a range of coating materials, such as ceramics, metals, alloys, cermet, carbides, polymers and plastics. Thermal spraying coatings allow designers to build parts using substrate and coating materials, neither of which would be possible on their own. They also allow inexpensive base materials to be used in demanding wear/corrosion applications by putting the required mechanical and corrosion resistance characteristics "on the surface." There are thousands of applications in almost every industry that take advantage of the cost effectiveness of thermal spraying technology.
Strict control of spraying parameters allows application of a range of thicknesses, from very thin, dense coatings to thick, highly cohesive coatings applied at high deposition rates and thicknesses. While most thermal sprayed coatings are mechanically bonded to the substrate, some coatings can be heat-treated (diffused) to achieve a stronger bond to the substrate. Thermal spraying also provides the choice of coating materials whose melting point is higher than that of the substrate. Most parts can be sprayed with minimal or no preheating or post-treatment, and the ability to control the heat input to the base metal is well known and therefore very controllable. Parts can be "new" coated or rebuilt/refurbished, often for a fraction of the price of forged materials or replacement.
