Advanced Thermal Spray Process Engineering
DRS has developed proprietary process capabilities that go beyond conventional thermal spray — enabling coatings on geometries, thicknesses, and substrates that others cannot reach.
Four Proprietary Process Capabilities
Each capability addresses a specific limitation of conventional thermal spray — enabling applications that were previously impossible or impractical.
Thick Alloy Layer Engineering
Stress management between layers enables thick deposits without delamination. Serves as a corrosion barrier replacement for bulk alloy cladding in nuclear and industrial environments.
Multilayer Deposition Architectures
Each layer independently optimized; composition transitions manage interface stress. Enables graded property profiles — hardness, thermal conductivity, CTE matching — in a single component.
Internal Diameter HVOF
Custom gun geometry enables line-of-sight spray inside confined geometries. Targets valve seats, pump internals, landing gear bores, and cylindrical components inaccessible to standard equipment.
Process Parameter Optimization
Substrate preparation, spray angle, standoff distance, and gas chemistry all optimized per application. Targets high-stress, high-vibration structural components requiring maximum bond integrity.
How We Develop a New Process
Requirements Definition
Identify operating environment, substrate material, component geometry, and performance targets. Define acceptance criteria for adhesion, porosity, thickness, and functional performance.
Process Trials
Systematic parameter variation using design-of-experiments methodology. Coupon-level coating development with controlled variation of spray distance, gas chemistry, and feed rate.
Characterization
Porosity measurement, adhesion pull testing, microhardness mapping, and XRD phase analysis. SEM cross-section imaging to validate coating architecture and interface quality.
Component Demonstration
Scale process to actual part geometry. Validate coating performance in simulated or actual operating environment. Document process parameters and establish production controls.
See Our Materials Systems
Explore the coating architectures DRS has engineered for corrosion protection, thermal barriers, wear resistance, and high-temperature dielectrics.