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5409 |
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Friday, June 09, 2017, Hall 12 9:00 AM Aviation & Power Generation Industry V |
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Low pressure and vacuum plasma processes for gas turbine engine applications |
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Robert Gansert / Advanced Materials & Technology Services, Inc., USA Ralph Herber/ AMT AG, Switzerland Ludwig Guggenheim/ AMT AG, Switzerland Silvano Keller/ AMT AG, Switzerland Alexander Schwenck*/ AMT AG, Switzerland |
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AMT AG (Dottingen, Switzerland) has developed low pressure, vacuum plasma, and hybrid vacuum processes for plasma spraying coatings for turbine engine parts. Turbine engine performance requirements have necessitated continued advancements in low pressure, and vacuum plasma processes for greater turbine engine efficiency. A comparison of coatings produced in vacuum as compared to air plasma spray (APS) are examined. Differences between low pressure plasma spraying and vacuum plasma spraying can provide interesting results. These differences are compared to baseline air plasma spray processing. In comparison to atmospheric air plasma spray processes, vacuum processes involve process chambers, high volume vacuum systems, load-locks, gun drives, work-piece manipulators (stings), and high power plasma spray systems. Even in vacuum systems, considerable differences exist between batch and continuous vacuum processes. Hybrid systems are also developed which provide attributes of these former two systems. Process and configuration differences between these systems will be examined. Interesting differences are found between low pressure plasma and vacuum plasma spray. Nickel-based coatings will be produced with low pressure, vacuum plasma and APS. The benefits of vacuum plasma processing will be discussed and compared to air plasma spray coatings. Vacuum processes may also provide qualities of high velocity spray processes but conducted in inert conditions. Microstructural analysis will be conducted evaluating surface morphology, coating buildup, oxides and porosity using optical and scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis will examine the coatings produced from low pressure, vacuum plasma and air plasma coatings. |