Thermal spraying is a vital part of keeping a substrate surface in top condition, adding value to the component and ensuring the very best performance. At EP Coatings (EPC), we offer a wide range of thermal spray coating systems including:
- Arc wire thermal spray systems
- Cold gas spray systems
- Flame powder thermal spray systems
- Flame wire thermal spray systems
- HVOF thermal spray systems
- Laser cladding systems
- Plasma thermal spray systems
All of these thermal spraying systems can coat a wide variety of materials including bronzes, ceramics (chrome oxide, aluminum oxide, zirconia, and titania), steels, stainless steels, nickel alloys, pure metals (like aluminum, zinc, and copper), tungsten carbides, titanium, etc., with minimal heat transfer to the substrate surface. Furthermore, the thickness of the thermal spray coatings and the coating properties can be changed according to specific needs.
Arc Wire Thermal Spray Systems
Arc wire thermal spraying is a process where an electric arc is formed between the ends of two charged wires, causing them to melt, and compressed air is then used to spray the molten wire feedstock so it coats the substrate surface.
Arc spray systems offer a reliable, versatile, and affordable way of thermal spraying and can be used in a variety of applications, including:
- anti-skid and traction coatings
- corrosion protection
- cosmetic repairs
- dimensional corrections
- electrical shielding and conductivity
- protection against high-temperature erosion and chemical degradation
- oxidation, shock, wear, and abrasion resistance
Arc wire spraying enables coatings to be applied quickly and economically, saving the operator time and money. We recommend using the impressive AWS-400 arc wire spray system, which offers high performance and unbeatable power – not to mention it’s highly portable and perfect for use on location. The AWS-400 arc spray system features a patented quick-change wire guide system and wire drive rolls for effortless operation, and its unique capabilities include:
- display/hold adjustment
- preflow and burnback air adjustments
- resettable LCD wire Counter and LCD time counter
- remote/local voltage/amperage control
Cold Gas Spray Systems
Cold gas spraying is the newest of all spray coating processes and offers special benefits, because the spraying material is not fused or melted during the process. Cold gas spray systems use pressurized cold gas to accelerate coating material particles to extreme velocities (400-1200 m/s), which cold-welds the coating particles to the substrate surface to form a dense, oxide-free coating.
Our Impact Innovations 5/8 and 5/11 cold gas spray systems provide performance pressures up to 725 psi at temperatures up to 1472°F and 2012°F respectively, and the high-performance cold gas spray gun features a proprietary powder injection system and is modularly designed to allow custom configurations during the spray coating process. Conveniently, this spray gun does not require external pre-heating with a hot gas tube.
The Impact Innovations spray systems can either be a stand-alone solution or integrated as part of a turn-key spray coating solution (for example, with multiple powder feed units incorporated alongside).
Convenience, reliability and efficiency are key to these units. Both systems are easy to operate and powerful, reliably offering powder material changes at feed rates of up to 1.8dm3/h, plus they feature automatic data logging of all system variables and values, changelogs and production data, and a 19″ touchscreen with an intuitive interface that allows precise calibration to ensure every spray coating project runs smoothly.
Flame Spraying Systems
Flame spraying systems, otherwise known as combustion spray systems, can be divided into two categories based on the feedstock used: flame powder spray systems and flame wire spray systems. Both flame spraying processes rely on the chemical reaction between oxygen and the combustion fuel to produce a heat source, which then creates a gas stream with a temperature in excess of 5432°F. The feedstock material (in either wire or powder form) is fed into the flame to melt, and the resulting combustion is then used to atomize and accelerate the particles onto the substrate.
EPC offer spray equipment suitable for both types of process, with high-quality combustion spray systems featuring robust wire or powder spray guns that can be configured for hand-held or machine-mounted/robotic operation. EPC supplies all necessary equipment to optimize the use of a flame spraying system, including:
- Flame wire and flame powder spray guns
- Gas control systems (flow tube or Mass Flow Control).
- Hoses and cables
- Wire wheel holders
- Engineering and integration
We stock two types of flame powder spray guns, the 5PII & 6PII, both of which are precision engineered and capable of creating the perfect spray coating. What’s more, these spray guns can use a wide array of coating particles, since the feedstock is in powder form.
Our FWS (flame wire spray) series of spray guns includes the lightweight, manually operated FWS-10 (TSA applications), the manual/semi-automatic FWS-21, and the fully automatic FWS-22 and FWS-30. The FWS-30 is our most powerful FWS gun and is equipped with an electric motor and Metco Gas Head for heavy-duty spray coating work. For increased safety, the FWS-10, -21, and -22 guns can be used with our model-1100 and model-1200 gas control panels for more precise pressure and flow adjustment, less risk of gas leakage and component degradation, and wide access to the couplings, tails, and accessories.
HVOF Thermal Spray Systems
High-velocity oxygen fuel, or HVOF, is a thermal spray process that utilizes the combustion of gases (e.g., acetylene, hydrogen, methane, propane, etc.) or liquid fuels (such as ethanol or kerosene) to coat surfaces, increasing erosion and wear resistance as well as protecting the coated equipment from corrosion.
The fuel and oxygen atomize and mix within the combustion area, and are then ignited at controlled temperatures and pressures resulting in a flame with supersonic velocity. The coating material is injected into the flame and propelled towards the substrate to form a durable coating.
The HV-50 Digital Series has been carefully engineered and built with safety and efficiency in mind, reliably offering a continuous and consistent thermal coating process. The series is made up of stand-alone, single-process, mass flow controlled (MFC) HVOF coating systems – namely:
• HV-50 GF (Gas Fuel) HVOF
This system relies on gas as fuel, and is compatible with the following spray guns:
- DJ2600 – this spray torch was developed to produce high-integrity coatings of metals, alloys, super alloys, and carbides using hydrogen as fuel
- DJ2700 – a spray torch that was developed to produce high integrity coatings of metals, alloys, super alloys, and carbides using natural gas, ethylene, propane, or propylene as fuel.
- JetKote3000 – a HVOF gun that delivers outstanding coating qualities
- Other gas fuel HVOF spray guns on request
• HV-50 LF (Liquid Fuel) HVOF
This system relies on liquid as fuel, and is compatible with the following spray guns:
- The eGun™ – a spray torch that is fuelled by ethanol and capable of operating at combustion chamber pressures up to 13 bar
- JP-5000 – an iconic spray gun that is recognized as the benchmark for HVOF guns
- Integration of other spray guns on request
Built using only state-of-the-art components and thermal spraying technologies, the HV-50 series is designed to be both reliable and functional and can be used in every type of HVOF application, ranging from R&D, single-piece production to high volume production. Key facts regarding the HV-50 series:
- The series runs on Horizon software
- System components are connected to a single network enabling clear digital communication
- The process controller is PLC based (Simatic s7-1500 PLC) providing maximum reliability
- Data transfer is based on a 24V signal – screened cables and required grounding aren’t necessary. This reduces external influence of the signal
- The entire measured value transmission is digital, reducing risk of measured value loss
- Components are easy to replace – all sensor parameters are stored in the master and transferred to the replaced unit
- Only like-for-like replacement. No wrong sensors accepted.
- Wire breaks or short-circuiting are immediately detected and diagnosed
- Master/slave integration via Profinet
- Modular construction enables future expansion of a single-process system to multi-process
- The high-definition 22” touchscreen HMI gives clear user-friendly access to process control parameters and monitoring functions
- There are closed-loop mass flow controllers for all process gases and ES-flow controllers for all liquid fuels
- Remote diagnostics minimize the system failure analysing efforts using eWon technology
- HV-50 systems control all auxiliary components
- All process-related parameters are closed-loop for maximum coating consistency
- The HV-50 systems can handle most HVOF spray guns
- Systems feature master control integration and operation of EPC powder feeders
- Each HV-50 system is fully compliant with all relevant CE and UL directives
Last but not least, there is the MP-50 (Multi Process), a stand-alone multi-process, mass flow controlled (MFC) HVOF, APS, and combustion spray coating system. Designed with state-of-the-art components and advanced thermal coating technology in mind, the MP-50 system performs reliable and effective HVOF, combustion, and plasma spray coating processes using just one unit and can be used for both single-piece production and high-volume production. Compatible with HVOF spray guns like the eGun™ and the JP-5000 gun, the MP-50 offers users unsurpassed process control and thermal spray operation flexibility.
Laser Cladding Systems
Laser cladding is a deposit overlay coating technology. This kind of thermal spraying is based on a highly controllable and efficient process that uses a powerful industrial laser to weld material onto a substrate, creating an overlay with true metallurgical bonding.
EPC offers professional expertise on the laser cladding process through our specialist subsidiary company Laser Cladding Technologies (LCT). LCT offers a wide range of laser source options to suit any requirement, such as direct diode, fibre coupled diode, and fibre laser.
A formal partnership exists with Coherent, a leading manufacturer offering a complete line of industrial laser cladding equipment and products. These innovative laser products go hand in hand with LCT integration, part-handling solutions and expert application knowledge, meaning we can deliver complete laser cladding solutions as OEM system integrators.
If you would like to find out more about laser cladding and discover how it could work for you, we invite you to get in touch.
Plasma Thermal Spray Systems
The plasma spray process, also known as air or atmospheric plasma spray (APS), is versatile and flexible thermal spray coating that can be used for a wide range of applications across different industries. APS is capable of spraying a wide range of coating materials such as most metals, ceramics, and alloys onto many different substrate materials such as plastics, glass, metals, ceramics, and composite materials.
The AP-50 Digital Series plasma spray system is a stand-alone single process, mass flow controlled (MFC) APS coating system. The AP-50 has been engineered to be reliable, safe to operate, and able to deliver consistent thermal spray coatings in a variety of APS applications ranging from R&D, single-piece production to high-volume production. Spray guns compatible with the AP-50 Digital Series include:
- cGun™
- Sinplex
- F4
- F4XL
- F4HBS
- F1
- SG-100
- 2700 and 2086
- 9MB
- 3MB
- 3MB-T ID
- Integration of other spray guns on request
The AP-50 system is one of the safest on the market today because of its modular design that separates gasses and fuels from the electrical parts, the use of only first-class materials, closed-loop control of all relevant process parameters (such as gas pressures and flows, voltage on the gun, water temperatures), and combustible gas monitoring. What’s more, every unit comes with safety interlock integration and e-stops with external equipment units as standard. Key facts regarding the AP-50 series:
- The series runs on Horizon software
- System components are connected to a single network enabling clear digital communication
- The process controller is PLC based (Simatic s7-1500 PLC) providing maximum reliability
- Data transfer is based on a 24V signal – screened cables and required grounding aren’t necessary. This reduces external influence of the signal
- The entire measured value transmission is digital, reducing risk of measured value loss
- Components are easy to replace – all sensor parameters are stored in the master and transferred to the replaced unit
- Only like-for-like replacement. No wrong sensors accepted.
- Wire breaks or short-circuiting are immediately detected and diagnosed
- Master/slave integration via Profinet
- Modular construction enables future expansion of a single-process system to multi-process
- The high-definition 22” touchscreen HMI gives clear user-friendly access to process control parameters and monitoring functions
- There are closed-loop mass flow controllers for all process gases and ES-flow controllers for all liquid fuels
- Remote diagnostics minimize the system failure analysing efforts using eWon technology
- AP-50 systems control all auxiliary components
- All process-related parameters are closed-loop for maximum coating consistency
- AP-50 systems can handle most plasma spray guns
- Systems feature master control integration and operation of EP Coating powder feeders
- Each AP-50 system is fully compliant with all relevant CE and UL directives
The MP-50 is a stand-alone, multi-process, mass flow controlled (MFC) HVOF, APS, and combustion spray coating system. Designed with state-of-the-art components and advanced thermal spray technology in mind, the MP-50 system performs reliable and effective plasma spray coating, HVOF, and combustion spray processes using just one unit and can be used for both single-piece production and high-volume production. The MP-50 is compatible with the 9MB, 3MB, F4, F1, SG-100, 2700 and 2086 plasma spray guns, and offers users a highly controlled yet flexible thermal spray coating process.