While iron could be assigned a high status and role in the advancement of the economy, its secondary and tertiary uses in the industry have also increased. These uses are based on its chemical affinities and how various physical forms of this metal could be utilized effectively. The last two decades are pretty phenomenal in this regard, when chemical engineers established different uses of high significance. The use of iron powders is one such concept of importance! Iron powder manufacturers are offering advanced grades in custom forms to suit the industrial applications of diversity. These powders are now being used in applications as diverse as food fortification and printing dyes to water purification and chemical catalysts. The use of iron powder for surface coating process is also a specialty concept that has found resonance in various industrial orientations. Iron powder coating is used to render the metallic surface strong, magnetic, resilient and acquire other properties of relevance.
How is iron powder coating useful in various industrial applications?
Iron powder for the surface coating process is used to deposit a layer of fine-grained particles of the metal. The grain size in most cases is grain size is worked upon for fusion presses so that a high-grade consistency and uniformity are achieved which is equivalent to the high-temperature thermal bonding of iron metal to the surface. Such coating may be used in the first instance to develop the resilience and wear resistance in the high speed moving parts in engineering processes like the engine valves, steel rollers, printing rollers and glass bottle manufacturing molds. These applications have the common attribute of high impact and at a fast rate; thus being prone to wear and tear characteristics with time. Quality iron coating on the surface greatly reduce the loss of efficiency due to wear and increases the endurance of the surface. However, the technique used for coating iron powder on the desirable surface is equally important and therefore iron powder manufacturers offer specialty grades of products to suit these coating techniques.
The techniques used for iron powder for surface coating process:
- Powder welding – this technique delivers a uniform, dense coating of iron powder and the simple high temperature flame could be used for the purpose. However, the flame and its temperature characteristics need to be controlled for desirable coat.
- Flame spraying – a two stage coat process, it involves spraying of iron particles which is then worked for fusion through high intensity flame. This technique could be appropriately automated for coating of cylindrical parts.
- High velocity Oxy fuel or HVOF – this technique produces very high density iron powder coating on the surface and there is also no requirement of additional machining.
- Plasma transferred arc – PTA is used for thermal surfacing like in exhaust valves and offers the benefit of low dilution with the base metal.
- Laser cladding – it is best suited for the renovation of fast-moving parts like shafts and bearings and it creates fine coating to cover the wear without affecting the thermal characteristics of the base metal.
With these dedicated techniques, iron powder coating has found new applications towards which iron powder manufacturers are catering actively.
