The Arc-Wire and Gas-Powered Thermal Spray Procedures
Before metallizing, the chosen substrate must undergo a cleaning and a rough-surface preparation to ensure proper bonding of the metal coating to a clean substrate. Grit blasting is normally the preferred procedure. However, chemical etching and grinding can be appropriate in certain applications.

Superior Shot Peening uses both arc-wire guns and gas-powered guns in metallizing. The gas-powered gun uses acetylene to fuel and oxygen to cool as the metal wire is fed through the thermal-spray equipment. The arc-wire gun involves feeding two wires into the thermal-spray equipment. When the wires meet, an electrical arc is established between them. Compressed air is blown across the intersection, atomizing the metal and propelling it towards the substrate. Of the two procedures the arc-wire spray is almost always the most economically efficient.

Facts About Thermal-Spray Metallizing, Paint and Galvanizing

• With the proper equipment and procedures, metallizing is most often cheaper than paint.
• Although both metallizing and paint must be refreshed after a period of time, metallizing can be expected to provide corrosion protection for fifty of more years. Paint must be replaced considerably sooner.
• Galvanizing (hot-dip metal coating) and thermal-spray metallizing both protect carbon steel by cathodic protection, but the metallizing procedure will extend the life of the substrate far beyond that expected with the galvanizing process.
• Metallizing will produce a purer coating that galvanizing. The galvanizing procedure often causes iron to be absorbed into the protective coating, giving it a tendency to rust faster than the purer thermal-sprayed coating.
• Metallizing will produce a more porous coating than galvanizing. This porosity allows a protective sealant to be applied to the substrate that will extend corrosion protection further.

For more about metallizing/hard banding, select one of the following:

Overview  |  Technical Information  |  Photographs

For more information about Metallizing/Hard Banding, or other coatings offered by Superior Shot Peening, click on one of the following:

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