ABB Robotics - Thermal Spraying with Praxair TAFA

The thermal spray process has been around since the early 1900s, and until recently it was a labor intensive endeavor. Every part was hand sprayed and quality largely depended on the skills of the operator. It wasn't until the late 1990s that robots really began to be accepted and used in the thermal spray industry."

These days, parts for the aerospace industry are so exacting and complicated that the only way they can be thermal spray coated accurately is through robotics. A coating less than a millimeter thick significantly increases the engine life and temperature limits and, in some cases, engine efficiency.

"As robot prices started to come down we realized we could use them much more cost effectively than any other solution for accuracy and high quality," says Richard Thorpe, TAFA brand equipment manager. "Today you'll also find surface coatings in petrochemical, industrial gas turbine and other general industry applications."