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TSS

ASM Thermal Spray Society An Affiliate Society of ASM International ®

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May 2007

Volume 2 • Issue 2 Your Thermal Spray Information Partner

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Thermal Spray & Surface Engineering

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T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E A S M T H E R M A L S P R AY S O C I E T Y

TSS Community Website Debuts Industry News Thermal Spray Refurbishment Cold Spray Surface Enhancement Industry/Universities R&D Collaboration www.asminternational.org/tss

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Now introducing the

NEW THERMAL SPRAY SOCIETY COMMUNITY WEBSITE! A revolutionary website to serve our members and the industry at large. It’s interactive, it’s easy, it’s the place to be. • Create your own Research Library, with your favorite research materials, databases, papers and documents right at your fingertips! • The NEW Thermal Spray Society Community Website provides members with the best in research tools. The more you use and fine tune your personal search agents, the more accurate they become. • Coming Soon! Connect with all the ASM Communities you belong to right from one location – no searching for a new site, you can find it all in one spot! Your local chapter, your ASM International homepage, your special interest group, they are all no more than a click away!

Visit tss.asminternational.org now and register for a test drive. METS0702

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MAY 2007 • Volume 2 • Issue 2

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ASM Launches TSS Community Website Cold-S Spray Happenings Saving Alexander Calder’s Mobile, Untitled Michael Belman, Shelly Sturman, and Abigail Mack A point load was created by the hook and loop interfaces, and the softer aluminum compressed under the pivoting steel and aluminum counterparts causing the hardfacing to fail.

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Industry-S Sponsored University Research: An Underutilized Resource Dr. Robert C. Tucker Jr.

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Supersonic Surface Enhancement Michael Kömpf The cold spray method is particularly interesting for coating semiconductor components.

Departments 2

From the Editor

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Industry News

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International Update

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JTST Highlights

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Calendar

ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES/MAY 2007

Editor Christopher C. Berndt Managing Editor Ed Kubel Art Director Barbara L. Brody Production Manager Joanne Miller Publisher Vin Legendre Sales East Coast/Eastern Canada Mike Sellaroli Columbus, Ohio tel: 614/268-5260; email: [email protected] Midwest/West Coast/Western Canada Mike Balzano North Ridgeville, Ohio tel: 216/373-6865 email: [email protected] Thermal Spray Society Executive Committee Peter Hanneforth, President Richard Knight, Past President Mitchell Dorfman, Vice President Charles Kay, Secretary/Treasurer Thomas S. Passek, Executive Director About the cover Cold spraying a metal powder at supersonic velocity onto a metal surface forms a tight, adherent coating, which is welded to the substrate on a microscopic scale. Photo courtesy of Linde AG, Wiesbaden, Germany.

International Thermal Spray & Surface EngineeringTM is published quarterly by ASM International®, 9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073; tel: 440/338-5151; www.asminternational.org. Vol. 2, No. 2. Copyright© 2007 by ASM International®. All rights reserved. The acceptance and publication of manuscripts in International Thermal Spray & Surface Engineering does not imply that the editors or ASM International® accept, approve, or endorse the data, opinions, and conclusions of the authors. Although manuscripts published in International Thermal Spray & Surface Engineering are intended to have archival significance, author’s data and interpretations are frequently insufficient to be directly translatable to specific design, production, testing, or performance applications without independent examination and verification of their applicability and suitability by professionally qualified personnel.

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FROM THE EDITOR One Way to Pick ‘Low Hanging Fruit’ Is to Chop the Tree Down!

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Nominations Solicited for ASM and TSS Awards ASM TSS Awards Committee Chair Joachim Heberlein requests nominations for deserving ASM and ASM TSS members to recognize their special accomplishments. You can help to make sure that no deserving ASM and TSS member is overlooked by sending detailed information about the member (which may include yourself) and his/her accomplishments. The Awards Committee will select the award that best fits the nominee and delegate a champion to prepare the nomination. Send the information to [email protected].

here is a phrase that has entered management jargon that defies a rational explanation; that is, “low hanging fruit.” I wonder whether others are confused whether it is good or bad, or desirable or undesirable to pick low hanging fruit. First, let me explain how this phrase has been interpreted in two environments. In the manufacturing sector, the phrase implies that companies produce the cheapest units first, while in the political sector, the phrase clarifies that the election season is the time to count people, not convert them to your party. Thus, in very general terms, low hanging fruit is defined (http://www.wordspy.com/words/low-hangingfruit.asp) as the easiest task or the most readily achievable goal. An example from the Web that might resonate with some of us concerns parking violations. The low hanging fruit that the traffic wardens pick in this situation are: (1) illegally parked cars in residential areas during early morning hours on Sundays, (2) expired inspection stickers, and (3) cars faced the wrong way on dead-end streets. The low hanging fruit represent easy revenue in terms of traffic fines. What are the low hanging fruit for thermal sprayers and technologists? A very short answer is to attend an ITSC! To carry the analogy a bit further, actually participating in an ITSC (such as by presenting a paper) allows you to pick more fruit because you gain so much more knowledge and understanding. So far, this discussion has been oriented to the classical management-speak that we have become accustomed to. Let me now explain why some low hanging fruit are not desirable. In my own world of research, there are a lot of very bright, aggressive people picking low hanging fruit, as well as the rest of the tree, until it is bare! Then the tree is chopped down and nothing remains. It appears as though the R&D becomes derivative in order to satisfy a program manager or funding agent because they want results, as measured in the currency of presentations, publications, higher degrees, awards, etc., and they want these NOW. And you may well ask “What’s the problem here since these are tangible results that indicate accountability for those people spending our tax dollars?” Here is the fundamental problem behind this skewed logic. In order for there to be fruit, there needs to be a tree, and the tree needs to be of a completely different variety so breakthroughs in science and engineering evolve over a time period that is often longer than the term of a three-year grant. In plain language, the low hanging fruit philosophy precludes long-term research, which will advance true innovation. Low hanging fruit rules out the adage that “a person’s reach should exceed their grasp.” If you have a contrary viewpoint, then contact me. I am more than happy to help you shake the bushes and see what falls out!

Chris Berndt, FASM Editor Editor Emeritus: The Journal of Thermal Spray Technology Tel: +61 (07) 4781 6489 Fax: +61 (07) 4775 1184 Mobile: 0428 237 638 [email protected] [email protected]

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The ASM Thermal Spray Society Board recently formed the TSS Industry Advisory Council, which comprises executive-level representatives throughout the global thermal spray industry representing industrial suppliers, coating applicators, OEM end users and / or government and research institutions. This select group of industry leaders will meet with the TSS Board annually during its spring meeting. The group’s The following TSS members were named ASM Fellow in 2006. focus will be to advise the TSS Board about market and Mr. Frank Hermanek industry needs and trends; provide strategic direction for FJH and Associates TSS policies, products, and services; represent a sounding Indianapolis, Ind. For long term activities in thermal spray, in particboard for important TSS decisions; support TSS in the idenular the conceptualization and nurturing of the tification and development of leadership; and promote cothermal spray glossary and the creation of the operation between TSS and their respective organizations. Thermal Spray Hall of Fame. Members of the TSS Industry Advisory Council include Dr. Aloys Eiling, general manager, H. C. Starck GmbH & Dr. Christian Moreau Co. KG, Goslar, Germany; Dr. Friedrich Herold, president, Group Leader, Surface Technologies Sulzer Metco (US) Inc., Westbury, N.Y.; Mr. Albert Kay, National Research Council president, ASB Industries, Barberton, Ohio; Dr. Kazumi Quebec, Canada Tani, general manager, Tocalo Co. Ltd., Akashi, Japan; and In recognition of his invention and development of Mr. Jöerg-Michael Willke, head of applications developnovel sensor technologies for thermal spray ments, Linde AG, Linde Gas Div., Unterschleissheim, Gerprocesses, and for strong support of ASM Thermal many. Additional members may be invited to join this group Spray conference activities. in the future.

TSS Members Named Fellows

INDUSTRY NEWS

TSS Industry Advisory Council Formed

CTSR Welcomes Three New Member Companies to Its Research Consortium Stony Brook University’s Center for Thermal Spray Research (CTSR), Stony Brook, N.Y., announced the addition of three new member companies to its Consortium on Thermal Spray Technology: Northwest Mettech Corp. (North Vancouver, BC Canada), Stellite Coatings (Goshen, Ind.), and VTT Manufacturing Institute (Finland). The companies bring a wealth of industrial expertise to the group in the areas of equipment manufacturing, coating application, and research & development. The Consortium on Thermal Spray Technology was founded in 2001 on the premise that thermal spray technology offers a perfect platform for precompetitive, collaborative projects between end users (OEMS), applicators, material and equipment developers, and leading research institutions. The consortium was a logical evolution from a $10M National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center program, which allowed significant enhancements in fundamental science and applied engineering of thermal spray technology. The consortium has not only enabled knowledge transfer from the Center to industry, but also has through combined group resources and expertise tackled issues of material design, process diagnostics, optimization, and reliability. Major outcomes of the consortium efforts include development of advanced process maps, new methods of coating characterization, and an integrated approach to process and materials development. Initial work focused on thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). More recently, work has been expanded to include HVOF processing of cemented carbides and other systems. Future work will continue to expand these areas of development including new materials applications and linking process-science efforts to performance and lifetime predictability of high temperature ceramics including TBCs, fuel cells, and abradables. Close to 20 companies participate in the consortium including General Electric, Siemens, Honeywell, Caterpillar, Mitsubishi Power Systems, Solar Turbines, Plasma Technology Inc., Army Research Lab, Tinker Air Force Base, Kennametal, BASF (formerly Engelhard), Osram Sylvania, Praxair, St. Gobain, Sulzer Metco, and Applied Materials. The consortium also provides a mechanism to access federal research programs that are of joint interest between company partners and the university and allows exploration of future novel thermal spray applica-

tions, such as in functional surfaces, electronics, and multilayers. Access to cutting-edge advanced characterization facilities is also provided through the network of premier research institutions that partner with the CTSR. The annual research agenda is set by the membership and the Center based on relevant themes and capabilities, and meetings are held throughout the year to keep the group up to date on the status and achievements. Annual training workshops and classes are also held to keep the group abreast of the latest advances being made not only in thermal spray, but also in surface engineering in general. The Consortium received a major boost from NSF in 2006 through a $1M Focused Research Group Program to continue to build the university-industry links and to develop new educational initiatives. State University of New York has also contributed significantly to the Center through the establishment of a new 10,000-ft2 facility. The Center for Thermal Spray Research welcomes industrial participation in all aspects of its activities; from sharing in research results to funded programs in specific study areas. Extensive facilities are available for exploratory research, materials processing, product development, and materials testing. Information on the CTSR activities and research updates are available through a Center newsletter and the Internet. For additional information, contact Lysa Russo, Director of Industrial and Educational Outreach, at [email protected].

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Raymor Launches New Subsidiary for Landing Gear-Coating Market

Raymor Industries Inc., Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada, a developer and producer of single-walled carbon nanotubes, nanomaterials and advanced materials launched a new wholly owned subsidiary, Raymor Aerospace Inc., to address a growing need for HVOF (high velocity oxy-fuel) spray coating services on components for landing gears and other commercial and military aircraft applications. HVOF spray coating is said to have become the standard for landing gear coatings on the latest line of new commercial aircraft, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380. Raymor says HVOF also is becoming standard on older model aircraft still in production, including the Boeing 737, which has the potential for the coating of up to 2500 parts per month after HVOF suppliers are approved. Raymor currently offers thermal spray coating services at its Boisbriand facility, and the new subsidiary will add various processes to provide the landing gear industry with the potential for a one-stop shop for coating, grinding, surface treatment, and testing needs. Raymor Aerospace installed new, aerospace-specific HVOF spray units, purchased new laboratory equipment, and is pursuing industry-specific quality and process approvals (AS9100 & NADCAP). HVOF spray coating was selected as the best alternative technology to hard chrome plating by the Hard Chrome Alternative Team (HCAT), a U.S./Canadian team of aerospace and defense companies and government organizations formed to seek an alternative to hard chrome plating, and is suitable for both original equipment manufacturers and for the repair and overhaul of worn components. www.raymor.com.

ASM Launches TSS Community Website Peter Hanneforth, TSS president The launch of the Thermal Spray Society Community Website at tss.asminternational.org is an exciting and important event for the thermal spray community. TSS has moved forward into the future of association interaction and is blazing a trail for all of ASM International. Our society’s vision states that “TSS shall be the leading global source for thermal spray information.” By launching our new online community, we are living that vision; providing new benefits, new opportunities for interaction, and new knowledge resources, which until now, had never been available to a tight-knit community such as ours. TSS and ASM have worked cooperatively to license technologies that will deliver a more complete online experience for our members and customers. We believe that capabilities like these are unmatched by any other international technical society: • Convenient and immediate access to world-class member tools and resources • Interaction with peers to a higher, more useful level • Customizable views, tools and resources • Access to the best thermal spray technology from the world’s leading thermal spray information resource, TSS • Search capabilities that provide relevant, accurate, and dependable information • Search “agents” that can anticipate peripheral interests and suggest related results for your review • Intuitive results that bring back concepts, not just keywords—with many more features to come! As TSS is the first Affiliate Society of ASM to launch its new community website, TSS members will be the first to benefit. During ITSC 2007 in Beijing, I look forward to describing more features of the site that will enhance our ability to communicate and share information with other thermal spray researchers, manufacturers, suppliers, and practitioners. When you visit the site, I think you will quickly appreciate how valuable this new tool is, not only for our membership, but also for our society. Through the site, we will reach out not only to TSS and ASM members, but also to the larger global thermal spray audience. Following the launch of our website, many more community sites will follow over the next 18 months as ASM, its Affiliate Societies, and chapters work to create the Global Community Information Network. Together, we will bring better information, better interaction, and better community to everyone. The TSS Community Website has arrived, and you an integral part of its launch and success. Thank you very much for your interest.

CoorsTek Expands into Texas CoorsTek Inc., Golden, Colo., a technical ceramics manufacturer in North America with facilities in Europe and Asia, and a provider of industrial pump, valve, seal, and surge-protection components and equipment for the energy and petrochemical industries, today formally announced their expansion into the Houston, Tex., area. A 30,000-ft2 facility will house state-of-the-art machining, grinding, thermal spray coating, and light assembly capabilities. Services will include rapid-turn, buildto-print and design-to-requirement components. The facility will also support local JIT delivery with a significant stock of frequently used components including pulsation dampening and stabilizing equipment, pump plungers, centrifugal pump components, pump packing, valves, Teflon seals, ceramic hard-face seals, severe-wear materials, and other custom components for the energy and petrochemical sector. Materials used include zirconia, alumina, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, specialty metals, fluoropolymers, and other hybrid compounds. www.coorstek.com.

Sermatech International and Rolls-Royce Sign Working Agreement Sermatech International, Pottstown, Pa., signed a ten-year agreement with Rolls-Royce plc, Rolls-Royce Corp., and Rolls-Royce Deutschland & Co KG, worth about US$40M to provide a range of coating and surface treatment services directly to Rolls-Royce facilities globally. The agreement will use Sermatech’s 11 facilities worldwide and its extensive coating capabilities including SermeTel slurry coatings for smoothness and corrosion protection, thermal sprayed TBCs and MCrAlYs, vapor and slurry diffusion coatings, and special processes (brazing, welding, and heat treatment). Sermatech’s facility in Chanwong City, Korea, will support Rolls-Royce’s growing business in the Far East market, particularly in Japan and China. The agreement covers a variety of components such as compressor blades and stators, turbine blades and nozzle guide vanes, shafts, and cases on various engine types. www.sermatech.com.

Sulzer Metco Reports Strong Growth In 2005, Sulzer Metco, Winterthur, Switzerland, launched several initiatives to improve operational processes and to increase its salesforce effectiveness, and the company report-

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Rensselaer Researchers Create Anti-Reflection Coating

INDUSTRY NEWS

edly continued to perform well in 2006 with an increase in sales of 12.1% to CHF 2,801M (US$ 2,300M). Markets showed robust demand, especially for services and consumables, such as powder and spare parts. The strongest growth was registered in the aerospace segment. This also benefited the Turbine Component unit, which had an improved performance in 2006. Business in North America continued to fare well, and operations in Asia were expanded. Further growth in sales and earnings is expected for 2007. www.sulzer.com.

A team of researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y., has created what is claimed to be the world’s first material that reflects virtually no light. The new material has almost the same refractive index as air, making it an ideal building block for anti-reflection coatings. It sets a world record by decreasing the reflectivity compared to conventional anti-reflection coatings by an order of magnitude. The research team, led by E. Fred Schubert, the Wellfleet Senior Constellation Professor of the Future Chips Constellation at Rensselaer, have created a material with a refractive index of 1.05 (the refractive index of window glass is 1.45), which is extremely close to the refractive index of air and the lowest ever reported. Using a technique called oblique angle deposition, the researchers deposited silica nanorods at an angle of precisely 45 degrees on top of a thin film of aluminum nitride, a semiconducting material used in advanced lightemitting diodes (LEDs). The technique reduces or even eliminates reflection at all wavelengths and incoming angles of light. By comparison, conventional anti-reflection coatings work only at a single wavelength and when the light source is positioned directly perpendicular to the material. The research could open the door to a variety of applications such as much brighter LEDs, more efficient solar cells, and a new class of “smart” light sources that adjust to specific environments. The research is funded primarily by the National Science Foundation, with additional support from the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Research Office, the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR), Sandia National Laboratories, and the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology in Korea. The substrates were To achieve a very low refractive index, silica provided by Crystal IS, a manufacturer of single-crystal aluminum nitride substrates for the nanorods are deposited at an angle of precisely production of high-power, high-temperature, and optoelectronic devices such as blue and ul- 45 degrees on top of a thin film of aluminum traviolet lasers. www.rpi.edu. nitride.

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COLD SPRAY HAPPENINGS

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Cold Spray Market Heating Up

Cold spray is being used in very different applications, from cost-efficient coating of aluminium with copper to ensure the highest electrical and thermal conductivities to applications in aerospace, where the robustness of the process and the demanding mechanical and physical properties of the coating are of paramount importance. Cold spray replaces thermal energy (high temperature) used in traditional spray technology with kinetic energy (particle velocity). It is the logical augmentation of a trend that has led to high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying and incorporates many experiences gained with this technology. Applications and materials for cold spray; materials ready for market (green), materials in develWhen using cold spray technology, opment (yellow). the coating materials are no longer melted in the gas jet of the spray gun. Instead, the kinetic energy of the coating material is converted to heat by the high velocity of the particles as they impact the surface to be coated. As a result, a bond with the substrate is formed similar to that in explosion welding. A wide variety of spray materials can be deposited using cold spray without subjecting them or the substrate to high thermal loads. Compared with other thermal spray processes such as plasma spraying and flame spraying, cold spray allows the manufacture of coatings that exhibit extremely low porosity and an extremely low oxygen content. Moreover, the deposition efficiency is very high and can exceed 95%. Cold-spray activities among the Linde Group, ASB Industries Inc. (USA), CGT GmbH (Germany), and the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Hamburg (Germany) began in early 2000. At the end of 2002, the first industrial user was able to reap the benefits of this promising process by applying copper coatings to aluminium heat sinks. Today, the high-pressure turnkey Kinetiks 4000 cold spray system can compete commercially with any other coating technology on the market. It can use standard powders and has high deposition efficiency. Using cost-effective nitrogen as the process gas, mechanical coating properties can be achieved that compare to those of solid materials. Joint South Korean engineers have developed a new cold spray activities with powder manufacturer H.C.Starck GmbH (Germany) made coating system that could expand the service life of cars, it possible to optimize powder properties and extend the range of spray maaircraft, ships and semiconductors. Developed jointly by terials, which in turn has led to substantially enhanced coating properAjou University (Suwon) and Solmics Co. (Pyongtaek), the ties. system makes use of extremely high pressures and speed Cold spray has set new standards and is expected to open up possibilities to cover an object with specially-made coating solutions, for coatings that have not yet been explored. For example, more than 20 said the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy in Seoul. This is in contrast to the use of extreme heat used in the new applications using cold spray technology have been implemented conventional thermal spray method. The supersonic speed which, before, were not even considered within the context of thermal and pressure exerted in the spray process allows the coating spraying. Currently, there are hundreds of R&D projects worldwide with material to stick solidly to the surface of the item it is trying many initiaves close to commercial applications. to cover. Because of the relatively low heat and ordinary For more information about cold spray, contact Peter Heinrich, Linde AG air used, the new system is about 30% less expensive to ([email protected]) at +49-(0)89-31001-564, or Al Kay, ASB use, and has the added advantage of not distorting the maInc. (USA) ([email protected]) at 001-330-753-8458. terial it is coating, enhancing durability.

South Korean Engineers Develop New Cold Spray Coating System

Solmics plans to begin mass production of the special coating material and the mechanical system needed to apply it by the end of 2007. Until then, the system will be used in car parts, including piston rings, cylinder bores, fuel pump castings, brake discs, and compressor housings. The use of the new cold spray method will be expanded to semiconductor manufacturing, in which Solmics specializes, and other heavy industry areas. In addition, developers said the method can be used on plastics, aluminum, copper and various composite materials that have relatively low melting points. The domestic market for the technology is estimated at 10 billion won (US$ 10.6M) per year. www.snt.co.kr. iTSSe

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Cold Spray 2007 Conference to be held in Akron, Ohio USA The ASM Thermal Spray Society will host a two-day workshop on Cold Spray Technology (Cold Spray 2007), October 8-9 at the Crown Plaza Quaker Square, Akron, Ohio. This intensive two-day meeting follows successful cold spray meetings, Cold Spray 2002 (Albuquerque) and Cold Spray 2004 (Akron). It will feature invited talks by cold-spray experts from around the world. Attendees will gain basic understanding of the cold spray process, follow global R&D programs on cold spray technology, receive first-hand inADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES/MAY 2007

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formation on industrial applications, and be able to network with international experts. There also will be table top exhibits from various suppliers. The meeting also features an industrial visit to ASB Industries, Inc., for live demonstrations of cold spray and ancillary systems, including CGT’s Kinetiks 3000 and Kinetiks 4000 systems and Centerline’s SST system. The meeting will feature a keynote address by Mr. Victor Champaign of the Army Research Lab, Aberdeen, Md., and invited presentations by experts from around the world, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, and the U.S. Presentations will cover topics including basic science and modeling, spray systems and accessories, preparation and characterization of coatings, industrial applications, etc. Targeted applications will feature specific industries such as aircraft, space, gas turbine, defense, and others. Speakers will include Prof. Tim Eden (Penn State Univ., USA), Dr. Dennis Helfrittch (Army Research Lab, USA), Dr. Bruce Hinton, (DSTO, Australia), Mr. Helmut Hoell (CGT Technologies, Germany), Dr. Jegan Karthikeyan (ASB Industries, USA), Prof. Thomas Klassen (Helmut Schmidt Univ., Germany), Werner Kroemmer (Linde, Germany), Prof. Chaghee Lee (Hanyang Univ., Korea), Dr. Jean-Gabriel Legoux (National Research Center, Montreal, Canada), Prof. Roman Maev (Univ. of Windsor, Canada), Prof. Kazuhiko Sakaki (Shinshu Univ., Japan), Mr. Tobias Schmidt (Helmut Schmidt Univ., Germany), Dr. Thomas Van Steenkiste (Delphi Research Lab., USA), Dr. Thorsten Stoltenhoff (Praxair Surface Tech., Germany), Prof. Tianying Xiong (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China) and Stefan Zimmerman (H.C. Starck, Germany). A panel discussion features academic, research, and industrial experts including Dr. Joe Berkmanns, Linde, USA (gas supply), Mr. Victor Champaign, Army Research Lab (applications), Prof. Tim Eden, Penn State Univ. (coating characterization), Prof. Heinrich Kreye, Helmut Schmidt Univ., Germany (equipment), Dr. Anatoli Papyrin, Cold Spray Technology, USA (process), and Dr. Stefan Zimmerman, H.C. Starck (powders). For more information, contact: ASM Customer Service at (800) 336-5152, ext 0, or (440) 338-5151, ext 0; email: [email protected]; or visit www.asminternational.org/events. Cold-spray system at ASB Industries Inc., Barberton, Ohio.

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Saving Alexander Calder’s Mobile, Untitled Michael Belman, Shelley Sturman, and Abigail Mack lexander Calder’s last and largest mobile (called Untitled) has rotated in the air currents of the atrium of the East Building at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., since its opening in 1977, and has become one of the iconic symbols of the Gallery’s East Building. Calder made only a small scale model of the mobile, and entrusted its enlargement to artist and engineer Paul Matisse, son of his dealer, Pierre Matisse, and grandson of the painter, Henri Matisse. Calder was elderly at the time of the project and requested Matisse to make the sculpture owing to complications with the mobile’s projected weight after enlargement. To make the mobile light enough so it could move freely on the slightest air currents, Matisse used aircraft grade materials such as aluminum hon- Fig. 1 — Alexander Calder’s largest (~30 ft × 76 ft) mobile, Untitled, constructed in 1976 eycomb panels and heat treatable 6061 alu- of aluminum and steel. Gift of the Collectors Committee, Image © Board of Trustees, Naminum alloy tubing. Steel tubing was used for tional Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. minum tubes at the hook and loop interfaces. During a major five of the elements that bore the most weight. To mitigate wear on the hook and loop join surfaces that conservation treatment conducted in 1989, a new two-layer bore an intermediate amount of weight, Matisse applied a coating of a nickel, molybdenum, and aluminum alloy plus plasma sprayed hardfacing of molybdenum. The mobile was a titanium-dioxide top coating, was applied by flame spray exhibited with its original molybdenum coating for 11 years that lasted another 15 years until 2004, when further treatuntil 1988, when depressions were discovered in the alu- ment was required. Hardfacing was performed following TIG

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Fig. 3 — Hook suffering the most severe damage from aluminum to steel contact. The depression penetrated the wall of the aluminum tubing.

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(tungsten inert gas) weld filling, smoothing, and grit blasting the areas with depressions. The titanium dioxide top-coating was chosen because of its extremely hard and smooth surface. The depressions that formed between 1989 and 2004 were much deeper on some of the aluminum hooks than those that formed during the first decade. Depressions were deeper possibly due to a longer period of time between treatments, increased movement from air currents in the atrium as the air handling systems were updated, and oil that leaked onto the mobile from its hanging assembly on the roof. The oil acted as a lubricant and caused greater mobility at the hook and loop interfaces. Further exacerbating the problem, the oil trapped particulates such as paint, aluminum, and hardfacing particles which acted as abrasives, thereby cutting the depressions even deeper. Nearly all of the aluminum hooks exhibited depressions with the degree of damage being proportional to the diminishing load at each junction. A few of the aluminum hooks that were connected to steel elements were subject to preferential wear. Through consultation with experts in the field of friction science at the Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, D.C.) and Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, N.Y.), it was learned that a point load was created by the hook and loop interfaces, and the softer aluminum compressed under the pivoting steel and aluminum counterparts causing the hardfacing to fail. The back and forth movement of the hook and loop joins on the point load (fretting wear) created distinctive depressions in the center of an “X”-shaped wear pattern. The 2005-2006 treatment of the sculpture involved aluminum TIG weld filling of the worn depressions, and adding steel liners to sensitive hook and loop junctions to stiffen the aluminum bearing surfaces. After comparing the performance of several promising hardfacing alloys using ASTM standard F1978-00e1: Standard Test Method for Measuring Abrasion Resistance of Metallic Thermal Spray Coatings by Using the Taber• Abraser (www.astm.org), tungsten carbide with cobalt was applied using high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) to specific hook and loop contact points. Steel liners were also hardfaced prior to being secured to selected mobile hooks.

Fig. 4 — Hardfaced steel liners being fixed to end hooks with an epoxy putty bulked with metal powder.

The design and execution of the 2005-2006 treatment was performed through close consultation with Paul Matisse and the Calder Foundation. After repainting using the same manufacturer’s paint as originally applied, the grand icon was returned to its soaring state. iTSSe About the authors: At the time of the 2004-2005 treatment, Michael Belman was the Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Objects Conservation at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Belman is currently the Objects Conservator at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pa. Shelley Sturman is Head of Objects Conservation at the National Gallery of Art. At the time of the treatment, Abigail Mack was an Assistant Objects Conservator at the National Gallery of Art. She is now a conservator in private practice in Red Hook, N.Y. Bibliography • M. Belman, et. al., The 2004-2005 Treatment of Alexander Calder’s Last and Largest Mobile, Untitled (1976), Proc. of the Objects Specialty Group Sessions, 34th Annual Meeting, Providence, R.I. American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Washington, D.C., (in press), 2006. • C. C. Berndt, Director of Mech. Testing Lab, Dept. Matls Sci & Engrg., Stony Brook Univ., N.Y., personal communication, 2004. • A. Marshall and S. Sturman, Conservation of one of Alexander Calder’s largest mobiles, Proc. Symp. Saving the Twentieth Century: The Conservation of Modern Materials, Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa, p 301-305, 1991. • P. Matisse, The Calder project: A large sculpture by Alexander Calder for the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Conservation File 1977.76.1, 1976. • R. McCoy, Structural check of the restored Calder mobile: Engineer’s Report, Conservation File 1977.76.1, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2005. • J. Pepke, Rotary Abraser testing to evaluate abrasion resistance of two types of thermal spray coatings: tungsten carbide with cobalt and Armacor M: Taber Industries Internal Test Request #C417, Conservation File 1977.76.1, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2005. • I. Singer, Head of Tribology Section, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., personal communication, 2004. • T. Woods, Mech. Engr., U.S. FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health Office of Sci. & Engrg. Labs, Rockville, Md., personal communication, 2004.

Fig. 5 — HVOF process in action.

Fig. 6 — Surface of tungsten carbide with cobalt has only a slight surface texture that proved beneficial in providing the appropriate amount of “tooth” prior to painting and does not interfere with the free movement of the mobile. iTSSe

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Industry-Sponsored University Research: An Underutilized Resource R. C. Tucker Jr. The Tucker Group LLC Wesley Chapel, Fla. or most of the past two decades or longer, corporations have focused more of their R&D investment on short-term development with relatively small potential returns, and seemingly far less on long-term research with the potential for high returns from major innovations in products or processes (albeit with higher risk of success). Some corporations have established research facilities overseas in lower cost areas of the world, or have relied on purchasing new technology from others by licensing and by acquiring entire or parts of companies. Yet, another R&D source with relatively low cost and great potential for innovative developments has been substantially underutilized; that is, industry-sponsored research and development at universities. This underuse is not due solely to indifference on the part of industry. Universities frequently do not adequately make industry aware of their research areas or their supporting infrastructure, particularly their research equipment. Moreover, university administrators often make it very difficult to do business with them. This article offers some guidelines that may help overcome some of these issues to the benefit of corporations, individual faculty members, universities, and students.

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University Research of Interest to Industry Types of university R&D of interest to industry include: • Individual consulting by faculty members on a wide variety of subjects ranging from in-house corporate R&D, to production problems, to other business issues. • R&D to solve problems with existing products or processes requiring work at the university. • Incremental development to improve existing products or processes. • Basic research that will hopefully lead to significant new discoveries and inventions. Figure 1 illustrates these types of R&D schematically in terms of their cost as a function of the time to accomplish or the risk of failure involved. Funding and Initiating Industry Sponsored University Research Funding. There are a number of methods for industry-sponsored funding of research at universities including direct funding from one corporation or venture capital group, funding through a consortium of corporations, which may be through an industry association or trade group, and partial government funding, which may or may not include a government laboratory and more than one university. These will collectively be referred to as simply a corporation in the following discussion. Selecting a partner and initiating a project. For individual consulting, a corporation usually is the initiator and selects a consultant iTSSe

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Fig. 1 — Cost versus time or risk for corporate sponsored university R&D.

based on his or her individual reputation. For the other three types of corporate-sponsored university research noted above, either the corporation or the university could and should initiate contact. Universities could be more aggressive than most seem to be in initiating contact. Corporations select a university partner based on the university’s or faculty member’s reputations just as in the case of selecting an individual consultant. This implies that a university might consider the following to enhance its reputation and visibility with the first being obvious, but none-the-less important: • Peer reviewed papers, presentations at conferences, etc. • Active participation by the faculty on professional society committees; networking with their business counterparts. • Publication of research and related news in society magazines (e.g., AM&P and C&E News) • Articles in business publications (e.g., Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and Forbes) • Articles in trade publications • Keeping alumni informed of research directions Universities could be proactive in initiating direct contact with a corporation by: • Developing marketing tools (put the business school to work). • Identifying potential companies having an interest in the university’s area of research. • Approaching the VP of R&D, Operations, and Marketing in potential companies directly; through alumni and alumni associations; and through third parties, such as consortium members. The university must, of course, protect its intellectual property (IP) by ensuring appropriate research notebook discipline and record keeping, not disclosing confidential/patentable information in presentations or publications before patents are filed, patent filing, and use of non-disclosure/confidentiality agreements. This does not mean that patents must be filed before initiating contacts, but rather that there is no disclosure of confidential information unless it is protected by an appropriate agreement. Today, most research universities have a technology-transfer office that is charged primarily with selling patented or patentable new technology that has already evolved from the university’s research (most of which has been done with taxpayer support). Their challenge is finding a fit with some corporation’s needs and coming to agreement on IP licensing fees and any future work by the university to bring the technology to fruitful practice. Seldom do universities seem to recognize that substantial additional effort is necADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES/MAY 2007

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• Put it in writing; putting all agreements, plans, and results in writing helps to ensure effective communication and avoids problems if there are personnel changes in either the university or the corporation.

Fig. 2 — Project evolution.

essary between this initial stage and profitable utilization. Nor do they recognize the potential for university participation in this effort, especially to broaden the opportunity beyond the initial inventor’s research to additional research or to other disciplines. For example, consider that a new heat-cured sealant for thermal spray coatings has been developed in a chemistry department under a corporate sponsored research program, is patented, and is ready to be put into production. However, there still are significant developments required in scaling up the production of the sealant, in developing a production capable heat curing process, and in identifying the full range of potential thermal spray and other application markets. It is not too difficult to see how faculty and students from the chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and business departments might become involved, particularly if the sponsoring corporation is a small company with limited resources in these areas. Figure 2 illustrates the varying degree of involvement of different “departments,” whether corporate or university, as a project moves from research to full commercial utilization. Effective University-Corporate Research Some criteria for establishing effective university-corporate research include: • Establishment of a set of ground rules to execute the project. • The project should be a fully functional joint effort. • The assets of both the corporation and the university should be used. • The project must be both cost effective and timely. • Intellectual property issues must be equitably addressed. • The technology must be transferred to production efficiently. These criteria should be agreed upon at the initiation of the project, without leaving some of them to be decided upon at a later date or stage of development. Ground Rules Some ground rules that should be agreed upon to ensure an effective project include: • Communication between the parties should be open, candid, and complete; a confidentiality agreement should ensure that there is no reason for either party to withhold information or not fully cooperate in the project. • The interests and constraints of both the university and the corporation must be understood by all the parties. • Establish a research plan and stick to it unless changes are mutually agreed upon.

Joint Effort Most of the points above may seem obvious, but are frequently not followed, or are just given lip service. For example, making the project a fully functional joint effort requires continuous communication with frequent, detailed reports and should be augmented with regular visits by the corporation’s co-investigator and/or project manager. If possible, an extended work period by a corporation scientist at the university and an internship by a university investigator and/or student may not only accelerate development, but certainly facilitate technology transfer to the corporation when the project nears fruition. Assets The assets of the university and corporation include not only the intellectual skills of the research personnel involved, but also includes supporting staff such as patent attorneys, business development, operations engineers, and marketers. Frequently, the research equipment and prototype production equipment of the corporation complement the research tools available at the university. For example, in the research and development of a new wear and corrosion resistant coating for severe oil-well drilling, a faculty member and students in a university materials science and engineering department may have a unique understanding of the theory necessary to develop a new material composition to solve the problem. They also might have the capability to do materials characterization and laboratory-scale wear and corrosion studies, but not the capability to produce the powder feedstock or thermal spray equipment to make the coatings or the capability to produce prototypes for field testing. However, the sponsoring corporation has these capabilities and a practical knowledge of the service conditions the coating must withstand. Their respective capabilities, therefore, are highly complementary. Cost Effective and Timely The research project must be cost effective and timely for the corporation to be interested. Industry expects reasonable accountability from a university and expects to pay for work done, not for students to study or faculty to do unrelated work. Frequently, university overhead rates are grossly excessive compared with industry norms and may cause a corporation to look elsewhere. From a corporate point of view, time constraints are a function of the type of research and the corporation’s needs. The parties should agree on milestones and decision criteria for further work. Corporations expect due diligence, but recognize the unpredictability of research. Constant communication is key to ensuring both parties remain satisfied as a project progresses (or doesn’t). Also, keep in mind that unpredicted results may be positive as well as negative! Intellectual Property Issues It is important to agree to all IP issues in the initial discussions and contract for the project including procedures for filing patents, patent fees, procedures for identification of inventors, assignment of patent rights (these may be the solely the university’s, the cor-

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poration’s, or jointly held), and licensing terms and fees. The corporation will typically expect exclusive rights in their areas of interest in exchange for reasonable royalty fees. The university should expect the corporation to diligently proceed to put the technology into practice or lose their rights. However, the university should recognize that it takes time to transfer new technology from the laboratory to production and to develop a market, and that the corporation can reasonably expect to recoup its R&D costs before beginning royalty payments (another reason for good accounting). Very importantly, the university must cooperate in protecting IP; e.g., maintaining confidentiality and not publishing until patents have been applied for. Technology Transfer There are various modes of transferring technology from the laboratory to production or other uses including: • Directly to the sponsoring corporation. • Licensing to others for use in areas not of interest to the sponsoring corporation. • Use by a number of companies for a variety of applications if the research was sponsored by a consortium of corporations. • Creation of a new venture with equity held by the sponsoring corporation or consortium and the university. Efficient transfer of the technology requires advanced planning and is facilitated by close cooperation and communication throughout the duration of the project. If possible, it may be advantageous for the corporation to hire one or more of the stu-

dents who have worked on the project at the university. In any event, contacts and consulting should be maintained during production start-up. Conclusions Industry sponsored research at universities is an underutilized resource available to corporations, which can also be of substantial value to the faculty, students, and university at large. Combining the resources of the university, the corporation, and occasionally the government can lead to commercially successful products or processes with profits flowing to the corporation and royalties to the university and the inventors (and taxes to the government). It can also provide significant opportunities for students to interact with the “real” world of industry with the satisfaction of having contributed to useful new products or processes. Successful collaboration between industry and universities depends, in addition to other factors discussed, on mutually respectful open and candid communication with mutual benefits to both parties and cooperative effort. The results should satisfy immediate needs while building for future cooperation and collaboration. iTSSe

For more information: Dr. Robert C. Tucker Jr., President, The Tucker Group LLC, 5154 Pine Lake Rd., Wesley Chapel, FL 33543-4459; tel: 813991-9921; e-mail: [email protected].

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Supersonic Surface Enhancement Linde engineers have developed a technology that can be used to enhance the surface of almost any material by applying a coating of tough, durable metals. Applications include protecting chemical tanks against corrosion, healing cracks in automotive engines, and rendering artificial hip joints more biocompatible. Michael Kömpf oon, engineers designing chemical tanks and orthopedists will have something to talk about together. These two professional groups seem at first glance not to have much in common, but they are now linked by a novel processing technology for titanium and tantalum. The properties of these metals are highly prized by doctors who do hip-replacement and other prosthetic surgery, and are also inportant to engineers concerned with protecting chemical apparatus and tanks from attack by highly aggressive media. What is the common factor in chemical vessels and artificial hip joints? It is a special surface enhancement technique called the cold spray method. “The method makes it possible to coat any material with almost any metal,” explains Peter Heinrich, Director of Thermal Spraying at the Linde Development Center in UnterschleisSurface treatment: In the cold spray method, tiny metal particles are pro- sheim, Germany, a Munich pelled toward a surface at supersonic suburb. Thermal spraying is an velocities, combining with the sub- umbrella term for a range of strate material to form an ultrathin coating methods including coating with special properties. cold spray. These processes, in industrial service for 100 years or so, are used when a component or product needs a metal coating; examples are heat-conducting cladding on the bottoms of cooking pots, anticorrosion coatings on bolts, and decorative patterns on glassware. In thermal spraying, a gas flame, a laser beam, or an electric arc melts a metal, which is then accelerated toward the substrate (the surface to be coated) under high pressure generated by a stream of gas. The coatings that result can perform a great variety of special functions. Heinrich, one of the fathers of the new technology, continues, “We can use cold spray to make surfaces that are extra-stable to certain chemicals, electrically conductive, and so forth.”

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Surfaces with Extreme Strength “Cold spray produces a true positive connection in which the molecules of the two materials are actually welded together,” Heinrich explains. The technology behind the method is ingenious: A gas, usually nitrogen, is accelerated to a supersonic speed in a specially modified de Laval (convergent-divergent) nozzle. Linde engineers feed metal powder into this stream, and the gas accelerates it out of the nozzle at high velocity. When tiny particles of metal moving faster than a threshold speed impact on a surface, they form a tight, adherent coating that is welded to the substrate on a microscopic scale. “Individual powder grains are squashed almost flat, like a bullet hitting a steel plate, and embedded in the parent material,” explains Heinrich. In this way it is possible to make extremely strong and extraordinarily dense coatings. Preheating the gas jet to temperatures between 300 and 600°C (570 and 1100°F) not only boosts the flow velocity and, thus, particle velocity, but also it warms the particles in such a way as to improve their adhesion on impact. The spectrum of sprayable metals extends from zinc, which has a relatively low melting point, to niobium, which has a high one. Auto Industry Shows Interest The cold spray method gets its name because, in contrast to conventional thermal spraying, the gas temperature remains well below the melting point of the coating material. Thus, undesirable effects such as oxidation, which often cause problems in other spray processes, do not occur. “This advantage over all conventional thermal spraying methods—even modern high-velocity flame spraying—has a positive effect on the properties of the sprayed metal coating, one example being the electrical conductivity of the composite,” states Werner Krömmer, another staff member working on cold spray at the Linde Development Center. Linde engineers typically run the cold spray process with 10 to 40 Pm powders but, adds Krömmer, “we have also sprayed powders with particle sizes up to 200 Pm.” This is an important point, because powders are less expensive to produce—and hence the entire cold spray method is more economical—the larger the grain size. Another factor helping to reduce costs is the use of nitrogen to transport the powder particles. “It takes about 90 m3/h,” says Krömmer, “and until recently, helium was the only gas that could be used to work with many metals. That was expensive.” What enabled the Linde engineers to dispense with helium almost altogether was the development of a special nozzle. Cost Reductions in Health Care When applying sprayed tantalum coatings, health-care professionals not only look for low costs, but also for special surface properties. It is desirable if an implanted artificial hip joint can bear load promptly, so the patient can get up and walk after a short time. For this to happen, the bone must bond well to the implant. Bone cement is often used to seat the new joint firmly in the bone, but the bond may fail, and in such cases, the patient suffers pain and under some circumstances may hardly be able to move. Therefore, the increasingly common practice is to insert the implant directly into the ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES/MAY 2007

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Supersonic powder: In the special de Laval nozzle, gas and metal particles are accelerated to speeds as high as 1,200 m/s before they impact on the workpiece being coated.

bone, thus producing a much stronger and more durable bond. The joint is usually made of titanium, which is additionally coated with titanium powder so bone cells can colonize the porous surface and bond to the metal coating. However, because titanium is costly, orthopedists are continually looking for a less expensive substrate material. Such a material would have to be coatable with titanium, and Linde technology now offers a possibility: “With cold spray we can design composites in which the parent material is just as stable as titanium but comes at a fraction of its cost,” says Heinrich. “Coating this material with titanium would then bring about the same favorable conditions for bone-cell adhesion.” Some 250,000 knee and hip replacement surgeries take place every year in Germany alone, so such a technique could mean a major economy in health care, and statisticians project that the figure will triple in the next ten years! Born Under an Accidental Star When tantalum is used in the construction of chemical tanks, the aim is just the opposite of what is needed in the orthopedic application. Here the “surroundings” must not bond to the metal. The metal coating must be extremely stable when aggressive acids are stored in large tanks or mixed with other chemicals. Krömmer says, “The usual way to protect the insides of large vessels is with a liner of tantalum plates several millimeters thick. It does protect against corrosion, but it is costly.” Cold spray enables Linde engineers to apply a coating to a less expensive substrate material and achieve the same stability afforded by the thick plates. “We now think the cold spray method will let us cut costs by a factor of four,” Krömmer declares. The birth of cold spray dates back to the mid-1980s, and—as it does so often—accident played a key role. A program at the Institute for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, operated at Novosi-

Medical technology: With the cold spray method, inexpensive implant materials for such applications as artificial hip joints can be given porous surfaces readily colonized by bone cells.

birsk by the Russian Academy of Sciences, featured experiments in which powder grains were accelerated in a supersonic wind tunnel. The real objective was to analyze the effect of erosion on missiles in flight. Professor Anatolii Papyrin’s team of scientists instead made an astonishing discovery: At particle velocities greater than a certain value, the particles no longer erode the surface but adhere to it, and adhere strongly. Papyrin later emigrated to the U.S., where he continued this work and developed the cold spray method. At a 1995 conference in the U.S., he met Peter Heinrich and Professor Heinrich Kreye, of the Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg. Heinrich and Kreye immediately became excited about the potential of the new technology; somewhat later they obtained the needed licenses and established a “Cold Spray Competence Group,” where Linde collaborated with the German Armed Forces University to further the technology. While the university was interested chiefly in scientific topics, Linde focused above all on such practical aspects as the development of hardware. “We built, for example, the prototype of the gas heating system that raises the process gas to the desired temperature,” Krömmer recounts. Within a few years, the competence group, together with Cold Gas Technology GmbH (CGT), an independent enterprise founded late in 2000, systematically brought the technology to a marketable level. Linde holds numerous patents having to do with cold spray and is the absolute market leader in the field. “Originally,” says Heinrich, “we estimated world market volume to be about 40 units.” Today, a bare three years after the first prototype was built, the consortium has already sold 35 systems. Heinrich reports a reassessment of the market potential for the cold spray method: “We now think total demand is around 200.” Peter Richter, Managing Director of CGT, recently acquired all the basic patents from inventor Papyrin. The latest segment to express interest in cold spray is the auto in-

Heat removal: Thin copper films on heat sinks for PC fans ensure quick removal of heat.

Electrical conductivity: The cold spray method is particularly interesting for coating semiconductor components. iTSSe

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Carrying current: The contacts of underground power lines are coated with copper; this may be a future application for the cold spray method.

dustry. At Unterschleissheim, Linde is now conducting experiments on cast engine blocks with the aim of using the technique to “heal” the fine cracks that arise in metal casting. “Such tiny defects used to mean scrapping these expensive castings,” says Krömmer. The loss was a big one, for automotive engines are made of special alloys that are difficult and expensive to produce. The cold spray method now makes it economical to remedy these hairline cracks so that they do not impair engine life. Recovering More Gold With Cold Spray CGT recently received a most unusual inquiry from a gold mine

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in Australia’s Queensland state. The mine uses cyanide salts derived from hydrogen cyanide to extract the precious metal by leaching from a very low-grade ore. In the piping that conveys the aggressive chemical, a damaged ball valve needed a repair. The surface of the ball must be extremely resistant to attack by the medium. The cold spray method was the only technique by which the shutoff valve could be repaired; otherwise, the mine operator would have had to renovate the entire piping system, at a cost of some 1.4 million euro (US$ 1.8M). “The cold spray technology offers a tremendous potential for savings on the refurbishment and protection of expensive components,” says Heinrich, “and this is true for all industries.” H.C. Starck, a manufacturer of metal powders, has also recognized this opportunity. The company joined the Cold Spray Competence Group some time ago as a supplier of materials including titanium and tantalum powders. “We certainly plan to work closely together and hold frequent discussions with health-care professionals and engineers,” Heinrich states, “and our topics will definitely not be limited to just these two metals.” It is quite possible that other industries will take part in future discussions of the cold spray method as well. iTSSe This article first appeared in Linde Technology, June 2006, published by Linde AG, Wiesbaden, Germany. Reprinted with permission. Michael Kömpf, based in Munich, is a freelance journalist focusing on research and technology.

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INTERNATIONAL UPDATE Thermal Spray Conference Held in Japan The 2006 Joint Conference of the Japan Thermal Spraying Society and Thermal Spray Division of Japan High Temperature Society was held November 27-28, 2006 at Tsukuba International Congress Center, Ibaragi. The conference was well-attended with 134 participants. The award for Best Paper was presented to Dr. Atsushi Yumoto of Kogakuin University for his paper entitled “Interface Morphology of Al Film on Si Substrate with Supersonic Free-Jet PVD.” Dr. Kentaro Shinoda of NIMS (National Institute of Materials Science) received the prize of the Most Promising Young Researcher for his paper entitled “Development of In Situ Measurement System for Monitoring Impact Phenomena of Plasma Sprayed Particles: Case Study for Plasma Sprayed YSZ Particles.” The conference program included two invited lectures and 31 research reports. Invited Lecturers: A. Sakamoto and H. Harada Presenters: K. Shinoda M. Watanabe H. Tanaka Y. Ichikawa H. Sasaki H. Katanoda K. Tanabe T. Yamaguchi D. Yamaguchi H. Watanabe T. Shimizu A. Yumoto K. Sakaki N. Yoshida

M. Suzuki H. Yamano K. Sato H. Ibe K. Sonoya E. Nishioka Y. Ishikawa A. Sato Y. Ando N. Ebara T. Suenaga J. Kawakita T. Kuwashima K. Sakata

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“Three Dimensional Modeling of the Plasma Spray Process”

JTST HIGHLIGHTS The Journal of Thermal Spray Technology (JTST), the official journal of the ASM Thermal Spray Society, publishes contributions on all aspects – fundamental and practical – of thermal spray science, including processes, feedstock manufacture, testing, and characterization. As the primary vehicle for thermal spray information transfer, its mission is to synergize the rapidly advancing thermal spray industry and related industries by presenting research and development efforts leading to advancements in implementable engineering applications of the technology. Several articles from the upcoming issue 16(2), as selected by JTST editor Christian Moreau, are highlighted here. In addition to the print publication, JTST is available online through www.springerlink.com. For more information, please visit www.asminternational/tss.

He-Ping Li and E. Pfender Results of simulations of three-dimensional (3-D) temperature and flow fields inside and outside of a dc arc plasma torch in steady state are presented with transverse particle and carrier gas injection into the plasma jet. An increase of the gas flow rate at constant current moves the anode arc root farther downstream leading to higher enthalpy and velocity at the exit of the torch anode and stronger mixing effects in the jet region. An increase in arc current with constant gas flow rate shortens the arc, but increases the enthalpy and velocity at the exit of the torch nozzle and leads to longer jets. Three-dimensional features of the plasma jet due to the 3-D starting conditions at the torch exit (particularly due to the transverse carrier gas and particle injection) and 3-D trajectories and heating histories of sprayed particles are also discussed.

Temperature distributions in the torch and jet regions in 0-p plane without cold carrier gas injection (I=600 A and Q=2.0 STP m3/hr).

“In-Situ Simultaneous Measurement of Thickness, Elastic Moduli, and Density of Thermal Sprayed WC-Co Coatings by Laser-Ultrasonics” C. Bescond, S.E. Kruger, D. Lévesque, R.S. Lima, and B.R. Marple A method for simultaneous nondestructive evaluation of WC-Co coating thickness, elastic moduli, and density is presented. The technique, laser-ultrasonics, is used to generate and detect

Thicknesses obtained by laser-ultrasonics compared with that obtained by sectioning the sample and measuring by optical microscopy. iTSSe

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surface acoustic waves in a noncontact and nondestructive manner. Surface acoustic wave velocity dependence on frequency is compared to a model and an optimization procedure is used to evaluate the coating properties. Results demonstrate the ability of the technique to simultaneously determine such properties with a single and possibly in-situ measurement.

“Worker Exposure Monitoring of Suspended Particles in a Thermal Spray Industry” Nikolaos Petsas, Giorgos Kouzilos, Giorgos Papapanos, Michalis Vardavoulias, and Angeliki Moutsatsou This work investigates and characterizes the quality of air in a thermal spray industry in Greece. Activities occurring in the specific facility, as well as in most other similar industries, include thermal spraying and several mechanical and metallurgical tasks, such as grit-blasting, cutting, and grinding of metallic components, which generate airborne particles. The main focus of this work was worker exposure to airborne particles and heavy metals, therefore portable air samplers with quartz fibre filters were used daily for 8 hours. Three samplers, carried by different employees, were used for a period of one month. Results show that both particles and heavy metals concentrations were low, even in the production site, which is the most susceptible area. Exceptions were in the cases of cleaning and maintenance activities in the thermal spray booth and spraying outside the booth. The main reason for low concentrations is that most activities that could produce high particles concentrations are conducted in closed, well-ventilated systems. Statistical elaboration of results shows that particles are correlated with Ni, Cu, and Co, and the same conclusion is extracted for Fe and Mn, indicating possible common sources.

“Deformation of Alumina Droplets on Micro-Patterned Substrates under Plasma Spraying Conditions” Kentaro Shinoda, Atsushi Yamada, Makoto Kambara, Yoichi Kojima, and Toyonobu Yoshida Deformation of plasma-sprayed of 35-55 Pm diameter (d) alumina droplets with an impact velocity of around 90 m/s was investigated over various micro-patterned substrates with an arithmetic mean roughness of 0.5 Pm. On a line-and-space pattern, droplets exhibited elliptical splats extending in the direction perpendicular to the line, when the normalized pattern spacing O (= x/d) was 0.1-0.3, where x is pattern spacing. The fingering of the splats was also caused by a concave pattern as well as by a convex pattern and the number of fingers significantly increased at O = 0.2. In addition, holes suggesting air entrapment

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were observed off center in the bottom side of each splat by approximately 1.5 times the radius of the droplets, regardless of the pattern. These results suggest the importance of substrate surface design on the micrometer scale in plasma spraying.

“Laser Beam Build-Up Welding: Precision in Repair, Surface Cladding, and Direct 3D Metal Deposition”

Laser microscope images of single splats deforming (a) across the smooth and patterned region and (b) on a patterned region of a substrate. The pattern type is line-and-space whose trench spacing and depth are 8 Pm and 1 Pm, respectively.

Steffen Nowotny, Siegfried Scharek, Karl-Hermann Richter, Eckhard Beyer Surface coating, repair, and rapid design changes of high-value components are demanding challenges of modern manufacturing technology. Advanced laser techniques are important in this field for the related applications in mold and tool, aircraft, and automotive industries. Reasons for increasing interest are related to the typical features of the technology; i.e., on the base of closed CAD/CAM chains, comprehensive treatment even of complex shaped and highly stressed components is possible. Heat input into the workpiece is less compared with TIG or PTA welding, although metallurgical bonding to the substrate is guaranteed. Furthermore, the ability to precisely deposit material even at small partial areas is an

ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES/MAY 2007

Laser beam cladding in the industry: process with coaxial powder supply. advantageous characteristic. Coating materials include metal alloys, hard metals, and oxide ceramics. Examples applications are surface protection of automotive motor components, repair of forming tools, and complete restoration of damaged turbine parts.

New benefits for JTST subscribers! As a result of ASM’s publishing agreement with science and technical publisher Springer, all current member print subscribers receive free online access to JTST through SpringerLink. JTST will be retrodigitized back to Volume 1, Issue 1, and all current subscribers will get free access to these backfiles as well. For more information, visit the JTST homepage on the ASM or TSS website. www.asminternational.org/jtst

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CALENDAR June 12–16 9th Intl. Trade Fair & Symp. for Thermo Process Technology (THERMPROCESS): Düsseldorf, Germany. Concurrent with GIFA, METEC, and NEWCAST. Contact Messe Düsseldorf N. Amer., Chicago, Ill.; tel: 312/781-5180; fax: 312/781-5188; e-mail: info@mdna. com; Web: www.mdna.com or www.thermprocess.de. June 19-21 EuroNanoForum 2007: Düsseldorf, Germany. Contact Messe Düsseldorf N. Amer., Chicago, Ill.; tel: 312/781-5180; fax: 312/781-5188; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.mdna.com or www.newcast.de. June 25–28 18th Advanced Aerospace Matls. & Processes Conf. & Expo (AeroMat 2007): Baltimore, Md. Contact Cust. Srvc. Ctr., ASM Intl., Matls. Park, Ohio; tel: 800/336-5152 (ext. 0) or 440/338-5151 (ext. 0); fax: 440/338-4634; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.asminternational.org/aeromat07. Sept. 9-13 2007 Corrosion Solutions Conf.: Sunriver, Ore. Contact Sheryl Renzoni, ATI Wah Chang, Albany, Ore.; tel: 541/926-4211, ext. 6280; fax: 541/924-6892; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.corrosionsolutions.com. Sept. 9-14 18th European Conf. on Diamond, Diamond-Like Matls., Carbon Nanotubes & Nitrides (Diamond 2007): Berlin, Germany. Contact Gill Heaton, Conf. Secretariat, Oxford, U.K.; tel: +44 1865 373625; fax: +44 1865 375855; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.diamond-conference.elsevier.com Sept. 10-13 European Congress & Exhibition on Adv. Matls. & Processes (Euromat 2007): Nürnberg, Germany. Sponsored by Fed. of European Matls. Societies (FEMS). Contact congress ofc., c/o DGM e.V., Frankfurt, Germany; tel: +49-69-75306 747; fax: +49-69-75306

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733; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.euromat2007.fems.org. Sept. 16-19 ACerS 109th Ann. Mtg., part of MS&T’07 Conf. & Exhibition: Detroit, Mich. Contact Megan Mahan, Amer. Ceramic Soc., Westerville, Ohio; tel: 614/794-5894; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.ceramics.org. Sept. 17-19 24th ASM Heat Treating Society Conf. & Expo: Detroit, Mich. Co-located with MS&T’07 (17–20 Sept.). Contact Cust. Srvc. Ctr., ASM Intl., Matls. Park, Ohio; tel: 800/336-5152 (ext. 0) or 440/ 338-5151 (ext. 0); fax: 440/338-4634; e-mail: customerservice@ asminternational.org; Web: www.asminternational.org/heattreat. Sept. 17-20 Matls. Sci. & Tech. 2007 Conf. & Exhibition (MS&T’07): Detroit, Mich. Organized by ASM, ACerS, AIST, and TMS, and held in conjunction with the ASM Heat Treating Society Conf./Expo (17–19 Sept.). Contact Cust. Srvc. Ctr., ASM Intl., Matls. Park, Ohio; tel: 800/3365152 (ext. 0) or 440/338-5151 (ext. 0); fax: 440/338-4634; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.asminternational.org or www.matscitech.org/2007/home.html. Sept. 18-20 Great Lakes 2007 “Exploring Mfg. Innovations” Conf./Expo: Grand Rapids, Mich. Cosponsored by SME, AMTDA, and AMT. Contact Soc. of Mfg. Engrs. Resource Ctr., Dearborn, Mich.; tel: 800/733-4763 or 313/425-4500; fax: 313/425-3401; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.sme.org. Sept.23-25 Matls. & Processes for Medical Devices Conf. & Expo (MPMD 07): Palm Desert, Calif. Contact Cust. Srvc. Ctr., ASM Intl., Matls. Park, Ohio; tel: 800/336-5152 (ext. 0) or 440/338-5151 (ext. 0); fax: 440/338-4634; e-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.asminternational.org/meddevices.

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