Thermal Spray for Marine Applications
The corrosive nature of both seawater (due to is high concentration of dissolved salts) and fresh water makes steel and metal assets in or near marine environments extremely susceptible to corrosion. The marine and shipping industries must continuously combat environmental challenges that lead to every type of corrosion, including uniform, pitting, and galvanic corrosion. The financial losses from asset degradation and loss due to corrosion is extremely high. The use of marine corrosion resistant coating is a mitigating method that effectively protects infrastructures, ships, and equipment operating in harsh marine environments. Our SafTrax nonskid products have solved this issue. Not only do the oxides and carbides within the coating offer a superior nonskid surface it also provides corrosion resistance through its aluminum matrix.
Thermion® offers high-quality marine thermal spray coating to protect assets in the marine and shipping industry that are vulnerable to corrosion-related degradation. Our advanced surface-enhancement engineering and technology can be used to improve and restore the surface properties of marine assets. For example, applying our marine thermal spray coating to ballast tanks or ship decks acts as a corrosion resistant barrier that protects the underlying metal surface from water, acids, chlorides, and other contaminants. The application of sacrificial metallic coatings (such as zinc and aluminum) increases asset life, reduces maintenance and material costs, and decreases repair downtime. Our long-lasting marine thermal spray coating enhances system and component reliability, durability, and efficiency to prevent costly asset degradation and reduce the risk of failure.
Marine Thermal Spray Benefits
The following are some benefits of thermal spray coatings for marine and shipping applications:
- Extends the lifespan of marine assets, including ships, infrastructures, and equipment
- Improves the performance and efficiency of ship engines and marine equipment
- Reduces friction, sliding, and wear rate
- Increases engine performance and service life
- Protects against corrosion, including assets that are constantly immersed or submerged in seawater
- Helps reduce fuel and oil consumption of ships
- Prevents catastrophic system failures
- Reduces heat transfer
- Reduces carbon emissions
- Improves fatigue strength
- Reduces maintenance and material costs
Common Marine Industry Applications
Our marine thermal spray coatings offer broad solutions for enhancing, protecting, and prolonging the lifespan of a wide range of applications in marine environments, including:
- Ships
- Compressors
- Pumps
- Tanks
- Winches
- Pipes
- Ballast tanks
- Hulls
- Decks
- Cargo tanks
- Analytical instrumentation
- Valves
- Fittings
- Downhole and subsea components
Common Equipment For The Marine Industry
Thermion® Arc Spray Systems use twin-wire arc spray technology to apply thermal sprayed coatings. Arc spray uses two wires, which is more productive than other thermal spray processes (often twice or more than twice as productive). Arc spray also needs only dry compressed air and electricity, which makes a significantly more economical option.
The following AVD series metalizing systems are ideal for use in the marine industry:
- Precision Arc 3.2 – Economical and versatile anti-corrosion thermal spray system. Ideal for both onsite and field use when moderately high production rate and portability are required.
- Precision Arc 4.8 – Low energy, high deposition metalizing system that is recommended for both large onsite and field use when ultra-high production rate and portability are required.
- AVD 250 – Newest spray system in our AVD series. It was designed specifically as an economical solution for applications that call for lighter production needs. Intended for shops that metalize as a sideline business as well as startup operations.
- AVD 350 – Commonly used to spray engineered coatings as well as anti-corrosion and restoration applications. Ideal for normal production rates.
- AVD 450 – Designed for engineered coatings as well as anti-corrosion and restoration applications. Ideal for both moderate and high production rates.
- AVD 456HD – This machine includes our new high-density arc spray coating system, which is ideal for high production rates. Features include preset spring pressure, which allows a continuous and precise pressure on the wires at all times and does not change when new wires are loaded.
Materials Used For Thermal Spray Coating
Some of the common thermal spray materials we provide to the marine industry include:
- Aluminum– Extremely durable coating that provides total corrosion protection and significant life improvement over conventional barrier coatings.
- Zinc – By providing a barrier coating protection to iron and steel, zinc thermal spray is a highly effective and proven method of corrosion and oxidation protection.
- Zinc/Aluminum – Anti-corrosive coating that offers the benefits of both materials. For example, the aluminum slows down the dissolution of zinc, which increases the duration of the protection.
- Steel – Produces a well-bonded coating that is excellent for wear-resistant, dimensional restoration, and machine element repair applications.
- Copper – Offers good resistance to corrosion and both mechanical and thermal shock.
- Stainless Steel – Enhances machinability and wear and corrosion resistance. Excellent for dimensional restoration and machine element repair applications.
- Cobalt – Provides superb resistance to chemical and mechanical degradation over a wide range of temperatures.
Thermion thermal spray for anti-slip and anti-skid applications are also available from SafTrax. Using our AVD series metalizing systems and the twin arc spray process, these thermal spray types can be applied to steel, aluminum, concrete, plastic, and other surface materials to provide continuous and safer non-slip surfaces in marine environments. For more information on anti-slip and anti-skid thermal sprays from SafTrax, contact us at 877-895-5731.
Why Thermion?
Thermion® metalizing equipment is used worldwide to apply long life, cost-effective coatings used for anti?corrosion, anti-wear, anti-abrasion, repair, remanufacturing, and non-skid applications to name a few. Our inventions for metalizing systems have improved the metalizing process in coating quality, productivity, portability, and adaptability for the industries and applications. Today, Thermion® is recognized as producers of the most reliable high-production metalizing systems in the world.
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