Process and microstructure simulation in thermal spraying

Thermally sprayed coatings are widely used to improve wear and corrosion behavior of mechanical parts. To develop new coating processes and applications – a detailed knowledge of process–material interaction is necessary. According to the progress in computing and commercial software today simulation can be used to understand the interaction of process parameters with the material behavior like solidification, microstructure and residual stresses within the coating. Under commercial aspects the process parameters can be optimized to increase the deposition rate and minimize the residual stresses simultaneously. For plasma spraying the simulation of the coating process from plasma generation, particle injection, heating and acceleration to particle impact on the substrate, solidification and residual stresses and the influence of different parameters will be demonstrated and correlated to the experimental results.