Industrial Dry Coating Technologies and Applications

摘要

While electroplating remains the primary metal finishing technology today, recent years have seen significant growth in the use of dry coating and surface processing methods. This is driven partly by environmental concerns and, more strongly, by performance, while being frequently inhibited by cost. Major growth is occurring in the use of thermal spray for wear and corrosion protection, with vacuum coating (physical vapor and chemical vapor deposition, PVD and CVD) broadening its industrial usage outside its traditional applications for cutting tools. Various other specialized processes, such as laser and weld methods, are also finding niche applications in the marketplace, while others (such as ion implantation) have largely died out in the metal finishing industry. This paper will discuss various dry process technologies and their applications, together with the drivers and barriers for market acceptance. We will also discuss where we believe the surface finishing market is heading and where the different technologies will fit in the future.