ASB Industries, Barberton, Ohio, recently purchased two new electric arc consoles and rectifiers and spray guns for rebuilding equipment made of alloys such as hard carbon steels, corrosion-resistant stainless steels, high-temperature stainless steels, aluminum, and bronze. In addition to these alloys, all materials that can be drawn into wire are possible candidates for spraying, creating unique alloys along with powder encapsulated within hollow wire.
Wire is fed through drive rollers to meet at the tip. An arc is struck between the two wires, melting them to a molten state, forming droplets that are propelled with nitrogen onto the work surface. Unique in the industry, ASB Industries uses elevated-pressure nitrogen as a propellant, which reduces oxide formation within the coating and greatly aids in work-room cleanliness. The electric arc process allows ASB to appropriately identify process equipment for application solutions using an array of material options for its thermal spray systems.
The electric arc system is flexible and easily hand-held and machine-mounted to easily adapt to unique part shapes. Relatively thick coatings with strong substrate bond and inter-particle bond make the electric arc system ideal for a variety of common repairs. Applications include seal and bearing repair on journals, hydraulic pistons and cylinders, boiler tubes, air-movement components and much more.
Electric arc spray is one of the oldest, most effective thermal spray coating methods. Developed in the early 20th century, electric arc spray uses a low power arc as its heat/energy source. This arc results in a spray process that is economically efficient — very low levels of power are required for the process, and very little heat is transferred to the workpiece. Electric arc sprays are capable of spraying at rates up to 40 pounds per hour or higher, producing some of the fastest coating rates of any method.
Electric wire arc spray allows thicker build-up of coatings, making it an excellent system for dimensional repair. The coatings produced are inherently somewhat porous, which allows lubrication to seep into the pores, a result that can be beneficial for many applications.
