An example method that includes receiving, by a computing device, a geometry of the component that includes a plurality of locations on a surface of the component; determining, by the computing device, a respective target thickness of the coating for each respective location of the plurality of locations based on a target coated component geometry and the geometry of the component; and determining, by the computing device, a number of passes or velocity of a coating device for each respective position of a plurality of positions to achieve the respective target thickness for each respective location.

An example method that includes receiving a first geometry of a component in an uncoated state and a second geometry of the component in a coated state; determining a first difference between the second geometry and a first simulated geometry based on the first geometry and a first spray law comprising a plurality of first spray law parameters; iteratively adjusting at least one first spray law parameter to determine a respective subsequent spray law; iteratively determining a respective subsequent difference between the second geometry and a subsequent simulated geometry based on the first geometry and the subsequent respective spray law; selecting a subsequent spray law from the respective subsequent spray laws based on the respective subsequent differences; and controlling a coating process based on the selected subsequent spray law.

An example method that includes receiving a geometry of a component that includes a plurality of locations on a surface of the component; determining a first target trajectory including a first plurality of target trajectory points and a second target trajectory including a second plurality of target trajectory points, the first and second trajectories offset in a first direction, and the first and second plurality of trajectory points offset in a second direction; determining a respective target coating thickness of the coating based on a target coated component geometry and the geometry; and determining a respective motion vector of a coating device based on the first and second target trajectories to deposit the respective target coating thickness.

An example method that includes receiving a geometry of an uncoated component and a measured coating thickness of a coated test; determining a simulated coating thickness based on the geometry and a first spray law including a plurality of first spray law parameters; determining a difference between the simulated coating thicknesses and the measured coating thickness; iteratively adjusting at least one first spray law parameter to determine a respective subsequent spray law and determining a respective subsequent difference between the measured coating thickness and a subsequent simulated coating thickness based on the geometry and the respective subsequent spray law; selecting a subsequent spray law from the plurality of respective subsequent spray laws based on the respective subsequent differences; and controlling a coating process based on the selected subsequent spray law to compensate for the difference.

A method and coating system are provided that use a temperature controlled gas flow to smooth a surface of a ceramic, like a thermal barrier coating (TBC). Thermal spray coating unit coats a ceramic on a surface. The thermal spray coating unit creates a flow of ceramic material towards the surface. A layer of at least partially molten ceramic material on the surface is smoothed by transmitting a flow of temperature controlled gas across the at least partially molten ceramic material on the surface after the thermal spray coating of the ceramic on the surface. The solidified ceramic has a smoother surface that requires much less polishing to attain a desired surface roughness.

The invention relates to a coating lance for a plasma process, the lance comprising a plasma shaft, a plasma neck, and a plasma head, the plasma shaft comprising a longitudinal channel, which extends in an axial direction along an axis from a first shaft end to a second shaft end, the plasma neck comprising a shaft boss and a head boss and at least one neck channel, which extends from the shaft boss to the head boss, and the shaft boss being arranged on the second shaft end in such a way that the longitudinal channel leads into the at least one neck channel, the plasma head comprising a neck boss, a plasma opening, and at least one head channel, which extends from the neck boss to the plasma opening, and the neck boss of the plasma head being arranged on the head boss of the plasma neck in such a way that the at least one neck channel leads into the head channel. The course of the plasma channel deviates from the axis in such a way that the neck channel leads into the head channel eccentrically with respect to the axis, i.e. at an offset to the axis.

In order to create a rotating unit for a coating lance device for thermally coating an interior, it is provided that the rotary drive is implemented as a hollow-shaft motor coaxial with the axis of rotation of the tool holder, and wherein the tool holder and the coating material feed, as well as the process media feed, are located centrally relative to the hollow-shaft motor. Furthermore, in order to create a coating lance device for thermally coating an interior, it is proposed to provide such a rotating unit; at least one linear actuator for axial and/or lateral positioning of the rotating unit relative to an interior to be coated; and stationary supply connections for supplying electricity to the coating lance, and for the coating material feed, and for the process media feed.

An example system includes at least one acoustic sensor configured to generate at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal indicative of an acoustic signal generated by a thermal spray system performing a process associated with a plurality of process attributes. The example system includes a computing device including an acoustic data signal module and a control module. The acoustic data signal processing module may transform the at least one time-dependent acoustic data signal to a frequency-domain spectrum. The control module may determine a process attribute of the plurality of process attributes that deviates from a predetermined operating range by identifying at least one characteristic of the frequency-domain spectrum, selecting at least one component of the thermal spray system based on the process attribute, and controlling the thermal spray system to adjust the process attribute toward the predetermined operating range by sending a control signal to the at least one component.

A plasma spray gun has: a plasma outlet having an axis; and a plurality of liquid feedstock outlets having a non-uniform distribution about said axis.

A deposition method includes: (1) providing a nozzle structure including: (a) at least one corona generator having an elongated charge emitting surface; and (b) at least one aerosol channel adapted to guide an aerosol along a flow path past the at least one corona generator; (2) generating an aerosol of a precursor solution; (3) applying to the at least one corona generator a positive or negative voltage of 1 kV-100 kV with respect to the substrate to generate a corona; and (4) flowing the aerosol through the at least one aerosol channel, along the flow path near the at least one corona generator and toward the surface of the substrate so as to charge the aerosol with ions emitted from the at least one corona generator to form charged droplets which are attracted to and deposited on the substrate, wherein the elongated charge emitting surface is a wire or blade edge, which is substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate and substantially perpendicular to the flow path, provided that the at least one corona generator does not consist of two blades. Inventive nozzle structures are also described.