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2181 |
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Monday, May 03, 2010, Hullet Room 2:20 PM Process Diagnostics 1 |
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The next step in intelligent gun technology: EvoLink for plasma spraying
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Andreas Kilchenmann / Sulzer Metco AG (Switzerland), Switzerland Martin Koller* / Sulzer Metco AG (Switzerland), Switzerland Hans-Michael Hoehle/ Sulzer Metco Europe GmbH, Germany |
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Significant process efficiency and quality improvements become reality using an intelligent gun technology. By measuring critical values directly at the gun accurate process data are available each and every time. Until now, critical gun parameters were measured far away from the gun. The new process controller EvoCoatTM Liquid Fuel HVOF System is the first available HVOF spray equipment with the embedded real time gun measurement and data acquisition system EvoLinkTM. After the successful introduction of EvoLink technology for HVOF liquid fuel process the stage is set for the plasma process. The EvoLink technology - measuring process variables directly inside a thermal spray gun - is extended to plasma guns and plasma systems. This paper describes the chances and advantages of this technology such as higher accuracy in voltage measurement when applying it to the plasma process. Furthermore, the benefit of such a system for the user will be described: higher reproducibility of the process, easy transfer of a process from one spray booth to other booths, higher process efficiency, shorter start phases, cost savings, etc. |