INODOCOAT

A project supported under the BRITE aimed at developing on-line flame monitoring systems to guarantee the quality of thermally sprayed coatings

Title

Industrial Optical Diagnostic for On-Line Control in Thermal Spraying

Participants

Top Coat, Italy. flame.spray@sweb.it
University of Perpignan, France, via ENISE. smurov@enise.fr
Projection Plasma Systeme, France. 2ps@wanadoo.fr
Permanova, Sweeden. svenolov.roos@permanova.se
Advanced Coating, Belgium. info@advanced-coating.com
Poeton Industries, United Kingdom. garyridgway@poeton.co.uk
Iontech, Spain. Iontech@adegi.es

Objectives

In relation to thermal spraying:

1) To ensure product quality and diminish product scrap due to non-conformity
2) To decrease material and energy consumption
3) To reduce costly time and materials consuming commissioning trials
4) To improve the production environment, reducing noise, less powder scattering, excess torch heat, reduced ozone.
5) To improve operator safety by reducing hand held operations and contact with hazardous production atmosphere

The Flame Monitoring Equipment

For Thermal Spray Processes, the equipment is based on an innovative laser diagnostic method that provides for a tuneable probing and pyrometry. The technique can monitor the individual particle temperature and velocity, as well as the substrate temperature, so that, in principle, an automatic closed loop process control system can be created. Once the optimum temperature and velocity characteristics are known (in relation to the desired properties of the coating, then the technique can be used to control the gun.

Timescales

36 months, from 1st October 1998 to September 2001

Sample Results

Follow this link to view some sample results showing the capability of the new technique

Primary Activities

1) Acquisition of main requirements imposed on process control by intended industrial end-users
2) Design and fabrication of basic diagnostic equipment intended for on-line temperature monitoring of a sprayed material and a substrate
3) Development of process control methodology
4) Implementation of process control principles and developed diagnostic equipment
5) Indudtrial validation of the developed process control system
6) Exploitation and dissemination preparatory measures

Anticipated Benefits

Reduced costs, improved quality, diminished rejects, reduced powder consumption, decreased energy and water consumption, safer and more operator friendly working conditions

Further Information

Contact Gary Ridgway, email: garyridgway@poeton.co.uk

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