Flame spray and plasma spray coatings are both methods of spray coating, however there are several key differences between the two.
What is plasma spray?
This thermal spray process creates an intense heat which effectively melts coating materials onto a surface. As the coating rapidly cools when it makes contact with the surface, it offers high levels of wear resistance, hardness and adhesion.
The benefits of plasma spray
Plasma spray coatings tend to be more uniform and dense, as well as offering better adhesion capabilities. This means that plasma spray coatings are often the first choice for particularly demanding applications, such as engine components, biomedical implants, and turbine blades.
Plasma spray equipment
Plasma spray equipment utilises advanced technology, which is costly and complex. You can learn more about the variety of thermal plasma spray coatings available on specialist websites such as www.poeton.co.uk/surface-treatments/thermal-metal-sprays/plasma-coatings.
What is flame spray?
Flame spray uses a combination of oxygen and fuel gases to melt the wire or powder coating material, which is then propelled using compressed air onto a surface.
Flame spray applications
Flame spray is primarily used for certain polymer and metal coatings, as its application process works using lower temperatures, which does limit the number of usable materials it’s suitable for.
Flame spray application
As flame spray is easier to apply and the surface preparation process isn’t as in-depth, it can offer a level of versatility that plasma spray can’t. This means that flame spray is often the right choice for large surface areas and on-site repairs in particular.
