Connect, no.110, January - February 2001, p.7
HVOF wire spraying system
TWI has recently installed a high velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) spraying unit that uses a wire feed system. The HV wire system, supplied by US company High Velocity Technologies represents both a significant advance in wire flame sprayingtechnology and a welcome complement to the industrially well-established powder-fed HVOF systems.
The use of wire feed allows the spraying of materials that are difficult to process by HVOF spraying in the powder form (for example, low melting point materials such as aluminium, zinc and copper). Significant cost savings can alsobe made since wire consumables are almost invariably cheaper than their powder equivalents.
The HV wire system features a lightweight gas control console and wire feed unit. Coupled with its ability to operate from single cylinders of fuel gas and oxygen and a conventional compressed air supply, the HV wire system is wellsuited to on-site production of coatings. In addition, a powder feed unit can also be added, so that operators can spray materials unavailable in wire form (such as metal carbides).
The installation of the HV wire system alongside TWI's existing HVOF systems (Diamond Jet, JP5000 and TopGun) maintains TWI's position as a leading independent organisation in the field of HVOF research and applications development.It will be used in forthcoming projects at TWI.
For more information contact David Harvey e-mail: dave.harvey@twi.co.uk , or Andrew Sturgeon e-mail: andrew.sturgeon@twi.co.uk at TWI.
High Velocity Technologies may be contacted through their website http://www.hvtechno.com .
