The aim of Green manufacturing is to minimise waste and implement sustainable processes to reduce any negative impact on the environment. Conserving natural resources is very important because the future of our planet depends on these resources being available.
The Metal Spray process offers many reasons as to why it should be classed as a Green manufacturing process. The Metal Spray process is used as a way to minimise the unnecessary use of natural resources by providing both protective coatings to prevent corrosion of metals associated with everything from Bridges, to Wind Turbines, as well as the ability to restore/remanufacture damaged parts to its original or better condition, thus eliminating the need to replace the component/part. Since its conception in the early 1900’s, the Metal Spray process has helped industries to minimise waste, save energy, reduce pollution and minimise corrosion.
Engineering Coatings
The Metal Spray process can provide engineering coatings including thermal barrier and wear resistance coatings. Each type of coating adds an Engineered Surface which in turn provides Exceptional Performance. The Metal Spray process provides a means to coat the particular areas that are in need of extra protection against wear and tear, as well as coatings for protection from high temperature corrosion. The application of a Metal Sprayed coating at production stage enables materials to be used that are lighter in weight and are easier to attain than materials used in the past. The use of lighter materials in production environments means, for example, that less fuel is being used to power the vehicle/aircraft, which reduces the carbon emissions. High temperatures call for thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Components in both the automotive and aerospace industries are subjected to thermal barrier coatings. Examples in the automotive industry include: piston rings and crowns, synchromesh gears, gear shift forks, multi void tubing, oxygen sensors, cylinder bores and valve stems. The Aerospace industry uses TBCs to protect metallic components from hydrocarbon combustion. Examples in the aerospace industry include: engine burner cans, aerofoils, landing gear and exhaust nozzle components. The requirement for greater efficiency, speed and comfort whilst still being environmentally friendly is a key part of travel and requires materials which are lighter and more performance related. The Metal/Thermal spray process is used today to solve these issues.
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Metal Spray is also known for its success in providing corrosion preventing coatings.
Corrosion Prevention Coatings
The battle against corrosion is an ongoing struggle; when metals are exposed to air and water, rust forms which causes the coating to slowly diminish. Fortunately, the Metal Spray process provides an effective method of protection for these metals by providing an anti-corrosive/rust preventative coating. A common misconception regarding anti-corrosive coatings is that they can only be completed with Zinc, however the Metal Spraying process offers 4 variations of anti-corrosion coatings: Zinc 99.99%, Zinc Aluminium 85/15 alloy, Aluminium 99.5%, and Aluminium Magnesium 5%. Each coating variation is designed to provide higher corrosion resistance in different environments (depending on the corrosion application). Long term effectiveness (over 25 years) in both Industrial and Marine applications have been documented. Austenitic stainless steels, aluminium bronze, cobalt and nickel base alloys, when sealed, offer varying degrees of atmospheric protection. The particular environment dictates the appropriate alloy selection. With the best possible corrosion protective coating, the lifecycle of metals can be greatly increased, minimising the need to replace components on a regular basis.
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Metal Spray also provides the opportunity for worn/damaged parts to be repaired using pure metal as opposed to having to remanufacture the part (if this is still a possibility).
Rebuilding Dimensions
Worn components can be extremely costly in a production environment where downtime needs to be kept to a minimum. Components/parts can however be salvaged using the Metal Spray process by restoring/rebuilding the dimensions of the damaged part, which in turn can reduce costs. Well selected coatings often perform better than a new component. Reclaiming a component back to its original or better condition not only saves time and money, but also reduces the environmental impact. This is particularly ever present in the Automotive and Classic Car industries. The Metal Spray process has been used on the chassis restoration of a Ferrari Dino sports car for example. A method called Flame Filling has also been used as an alternative to Lead Loading in body filling repair work. Metal Spraying is also an excellent alternative to galvanising when spraying entire car panels. Materials can also be applied to enhance a component which in turn increases its service life. The application of a Metal Sprayed coating can be undertaken on site (depending on which process is used), eliminating the need to remove the component or transport to a workshop.
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Metal Spray provides numerous viable alternatives to the hard chrome plating process. Metal/Thermal spray processes eliminate the use of hexavalent Chromium for Hard Chroming. Hexavalent chromium is not only dangerous to humans, it is also damaging to the environment.
Hard Chrome Alternatives
Dense, hard coatings produced by High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF), High Velocity Air Fuel (HVAF) and Laser Systems, can provide technically and commercially viable environmentally friendly alternatives to the Hard Chrome Plating process. Metal sprayed coatings have negligible impact on substrate fatigue performance, whilst hard chrome plating reduces substrate fatigue performance by 30-50%. As well as this, the estimated cost of carbide coatings for their entire life cycle equates to 50% of the cost of hard chrome plating. The thermal spray alternatives also eliminate the presence of Hexavalent Chromium as no solvents or chemicals are used, just pure metal, thus reducing the environmental impact. A wide range of coatings can be used, tailoring the appropriate material to the application e.g. WC/Co/Cr, WC/Co, Cr3C2/NiCr, WC/Ni coatings, and nickel-based corrosion resistant alloys. It is also good to note that the abrasion wear resistance of WC/Cr/Co coatings is 4 to 5 times higher than that of hard chrome.
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Along with providing commercially viable alternatives to traditional methods of metal protection, the Metal Spray process also protects components in the renewable energy industry.
Renewable Energy
Metal Spray in renewable energy industry applications is becoming a popular topic due to the cost benefits, flexibility in application, as well as the historic success of the process, showing excellent corrosion protection results, amongst other benefits. Geothermal piping systems, wind turbine towers and biomass incineration boilers often use the Metal Spray process due to its ability to produce dense coatings with low porosity. Metal Sprayed coatings have also been noted to protect hydro turbines from slurry erosion. HVAF equipment has also been found to provide an effective way to protect impellers and hydro turbines from the harmful effects of cavitation and silt erosion. It has also proven itself with the corrosion and wear protection of steam turbine blades.
Wind power is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies. Globally installed wind-generation capacity, both onshore and offshore has increased by a factor of almost 75% in the past two decades (Irena). The protection of these towers is paramount as they are subjected to the most aggressive environments, exposed to humidity, with high salinity and intensive UV-radiation. Thankfully Zinc/Aluminium coatings on wind towers provide the necessary corrosion protection for the towers. Wear resistant coatings are also used in areas of wind towers prone to friction.
Protective coatings are also used in the Solar Energy industry to protect the equipment from damage and corrosion. Along with protective coatings on Solar Panels, Metal Spray has been noted of producing EMI/RFI shielding coatings which protect the panels from radio frequency and electromagnetic interference. The ability to protect these renewable energy sources aids in the performance and success of these sources which will in turn, over time, reduce the need for emissions that are harming the planet.
The Metal Spray process provides engineering coatings that are used for OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture), anti-corrosive coatings, the ability to restore worn/damaged components and reduces downtime, all while conserving natural resources and reducing the impact of conventional processes. Therefore we consider this to be a Green Process.
