Mehmet Öte

Determination of the Effective Properties of Thermal Spray Coatings Using 2D and 3D Models

Models, which are developed to determine the effective properties of thermal spray coatings, require the material properties of each constituent of the coating as well as the information about the spatial positions and the geometries of these constituents as input parameters. The complex microstructure of thermally sprayed Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings consists of irregular voids which are distributed non-uniformly in the coating. It is a common practice in the literature to employ two-dimensional (2D) cross-sectional images of the coatings to derive the geometrical model of the microstructure and conduct the simulations in 2D. In the context of this study, contrary to the 2D approach, a new three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction approach has been developed to model the microstructure of thermally sprayed coatings in 3D. The effective properties of an YSZ coating have been calculated by means of asymptotic homogenization and virtual testing methods. The results of the models, which have been conducted in 2D and 3D, are compared with each other. Finally, the capabilities of these methods with respect to the modeling approach (in 3D and in 2D) are analyzed on the basis of reference measurements.

Modeling Multi-Arc Spraying Systems

The use of plasma as energy source in thermal spraying enables among others the processing of feed stock materials with very high melting temperatures as coating materials. New generation multi-arc plasma spraying systems are widely spread and promise several advantages in comparison to the conventional single-arc systems. Numerical modeling of multi-arc plasma spraying offers the possibility to increase the understanding about this process. This study focuses on the numerical modeling of three-cathode spraying systems, introducing the recent activities in this field and discussing the numerical aspects which influence the prediction power of the models.

Modelling the Plasma Jet in Multi-Arc Plasma Spraying

Particle in-flight characteristics in atmospheric plasma spraying process are determined by impulse and heat energy transferred between the plasma jet and injected powder particles. One of the important factors for the quality of the plasma-sprayed coatings is thus the distribution of plasma gas temperatures and velocities in plasma jet. Plasma jets generated by conventional single-arc plasma spraying systems and their interaction with powder particles were subject matter of intensive research. However, this does not apply to plasma jets generated by means of multi-arc plasma spraying systems yet. In this study, a numerical model has been developed which is designated to dealing with the flow characteristics of the plasma jet generated by means of a three-cathode spraying system. The upstream flow conditions, which were calculated using a priori conducted plasma generator simulations, have been coupled to the plasma jet simulations. The significances of the relevant numerical assumptions and aspects of the models are analyzed. The focus is placed on to the turbulence and diffusion/demixing modelling. A critical evaluation of the prediction power of the models is conducted by comparing the numerical results to the experimental results determined by means of emission spectroscopic computed tomography. It is evident that the numerical models exhibit a good accuracy for their intended use.

Influence of Process Parameter on Grit Blasting as a Pretreatment Process for Thermal Spraying

In thermal spraying, uncoated substrates usually require roughening. As the most common roughening method, grit blasting increases the surface area and produces undercuts in almost all cases, which facilitate mechanical interlocking and thus promote the bonding between the substrate and coating. The effects of grit blasting parameters, i.e., the particle size, the blasting angle, the stand-off distance, and the pressure, on the resulting surface topography are investigated. Furthermore, the efficiency and wear behavior of the blasting media are analyzed. Influences of three different blasting media, corundum, alumina zirconia, and steel shot, on the surface roughening, are compared. By varying adjusted blasting parameters, different initial conditions (surface topography) are created. Subsequently, the substrate is coated, and the coating bond strength is measured. One of the main results of this publication is that alumina zirconia and steel grit show a longer lifetime than pure alumina as a blasting media. Moreover, it has been shown that the blasting parameters such as grain size, working pressure, and history (wear status) of the abrasive particles have a significant effect on the resulting surface topography. Additionally, systematical analysis in this study shows that the blasting parameters such as stand-off distance and blasting angle have a small influence on the results of the blasting process. Another important conclusion of this study is that the conventional surface parameters that have been analyzed in this study did not turn out to be suitable for describing the relationship between the surface topography of the substrate and resulting bond strength.

Modeling Plasma–Particle Interaction in Multi-Arc Plasma Spraying

The properties of plasma-sprayed coatings are controlled by the heat, momentum, and mass transfer between individual particles and the plasma jet. The particle behavior in conventional single-arc plasma spraying has been the subject of intensive numerical research, whereas multi-arc plasma spraying has not yet received the same attention. We propose herein a numerical model to serve as a scientific tool to investigate particle behavior in multi-arc plasma spraying. In the Lagrangian description of particles in the model, the mathematical formulations describing the heat, momentum, and mass transfer are of great importance for good predictive power, so such formulations proposed by different authors were compared critically, revealing that different mathematical formulations lead to significantly different results. The accuracy of the different formulations was evaluated based on theoretical considerations, and those found to be more accurate were implemented in the final model. Furthermore, a mathematical formulation is proposed to enable simplified calculation of partial particle melting and resolidification.

Numerical Study on Plasma Jet and Particle Behavior in Multi-arc Plasma Spraying

Plasma jet and particle behavior in conventional single-arc plasma spraying has been subject to intensive numerical research. However, multi-arc plasma spraying is a different case which has yet to be investigated more closely. Numerical models developed to investigate the characteristics of multi-arc plasma spraying (plasma generator, plasma jet, and plasma–particle interaction models) were introduced in previous publications by the authors. The plasma generator and plasma jet models were already validated by comparing calculated plasma temperatures with results of emission spectroscopic computed tomography. In this study, the above-mentioned models were subjected to further validation effort. Calculated particle in-flight characteristics were compared with those determined by means of particle diagnostics and high-speed videography. The results show very good agreement. The main aim of the current publication is to derive conclusions regarding the general characteristics of plasma jet and particle in-flight behavior in multi-arc plasma spraying. For this purpose, a numerical parameter study is conducted in which the validated models are used to allow variations in the process parameters. Results regarding plasma jet/particle in-flight temperatures and velocities are presented. Furthermore, the general characteristics of plasma jet and particle behavior in multi-arc plasma spraying are discussed and explained. This contributes to better understanding of the multi-arc plasma spraying process, in particular regarding the injection behavior of particles into hot regions of the plasma jet. Finally, an example test case showing a possible practical application area of the models is introduced.

IMKS and IMMS—Two Integrated Methods for the One-Step-Production of Plastic/Metal Hybrid Parts

The integration and combination of known production technologies to one-step-processes is a promising way to make existing processes more efficient and to enable more integrated products. This paper presents two integrative process technologies that are developed by the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) and the Surface Engineering Institute (IOT) as part of the Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Production Technologies for High-Wage Countries”. In these processes, metals or metal alloys are applied to an injection moulded part, which results in a new opportunity to create electrical conductivity of plastic articles. The Integrated-Metal-Plastic-Injection-Moulding (IMKS) represents the combination of injection moulding and metal die-casting, allowing the production of plastic parts with integrated conductive tracks in one shot. The In-Mould-Metal-Spraying (IMMS) combines the injection moulding with the thermal spraying of metal. Therefore it is possible to equip electrically insulating plastic parts with metallic coatings and provide an electromagnetic shielding like cast metal parts. In the following both processes are presented and future potentials and challenges are shown.

In situ investigation of production processes in a large chamber scanning electron microscope

A large-chamber scanning electron microscope (LC-SEM) provides an ideal platform for the installation of large-scale in situ experiments. Our LC-SEM has internal chamber dimensions of 1,2 × 1,3 × 1,4 m3 (W × H × D) (Fig.1) and makes it possible to incorporate novel in situ experimental devices, which are reported on here. The present manuscript describes in detail the development of in situ test equipment for the study of a broad range of processes in production engineering. Direct observation of the materials modification mechanisms provides fundamental insight into the underlying process characteristics. An in situ turning device was developed, tested and used to observe the chip formation on the microstructure scale of a 43CrMo4-sample. Laser beam micro welding was integrated into the LC-SEM to achieve in situ analysis of the welding process on stainless steel 1.4310. A heating module was employed for in situ wetting experiments to observe the formation and solidification of the melt of a tin-copper brazing filler on an aluminium cast alloy.

Development of Novel Fe-Based Coating Systems for Internal Combustion Engines

Nowadays, combustion engines are the most common way to power vehicles. Thereby, losses occur due to cooling, exhaust gas and friction. With regard to frictional losses, highest potentials for optimization can be found in the tribological system of the inner surface of combustion chamber and piston ring. Besides friction, corrosive stress increases, e.g., due to utilization of exhaust gas recovery. In order to save energy, reduce emissions and enhance the life span of combustion engines, the demand for innovative coating material systems, especially for the inner surface of combustion chamber, increases. This study focuses on the development of innovative iron-based coating materials for the combustion chamber. As a first step, the plasma transferred wire arc and rotating single wire arc (RSW) technologies were compared using 0.8% C-steel as a reference. Subsequently, RSW was used for coating deposition using an innovative iron-based feedstock material. In order to improve wear and corrosion resistance, boron and chromium were added to the feedstock material. After deposition, different honing topographies were manufactured and compared under tribological load. Furthermore, electrochemical corrosion tests were conducted using an electrolyte simulating the exhaust gas concentrate. Especially with regard to corrosion, the novel coating system FeCrBMn showed promising results.

Transfer of Wire Arc Sprayed Metal Coatings onto Plastic Parts

By means of In-Mold-Metal-Spraying (IMMS), metal coatings deposited by means of arc spraying process (ASP) can be transferred onto plastic parts during injection molding, thus realizing an efficient production of metallized plastic parts. Parts produced by means of IMMS can be used in electrical applications. In the current study, the electrical resistivity of coatings applied with different feedstock materials was determined. As a starting point, pressurized air is used as atomizing gas for ASP. In contrast to Zn coatings, Cu coatings applied with pressurized air exhibit a significantly higher electrical resistivity in comparison with massive material. One possible reason is the more pronounced oxidation of Cu particles during ASP. Therefore, N2 and a mixture of N2 and H2 were used as atomizing gas. As a result, the electrical resistivity of coatings applied by means of IMMS could be significantly reduced. Furthermore, standoff distance, current and pressure of the atomizing gas were varied to investigate the influence of these process parameters on the electrical resistivity of Zn coatings using a full factorial experiment design with center point. It can be observed that the electrical resistivity of the Zn coatings increases with decreasing current and increasing standoff distance and pressure.