A thermal coating method for applying a functional layer to a workpiece surface, particularly for applying a running surface coating to a cylinder running surface of a crankcase of an internal-combustion engine, includes the steps of: melting a coating material by use of a melting device, applying coating material droplets to the workpiece surface by use of a gas jet aimed at the workpiece surface, which gas jet blows coating material droplets from a melting location of the melting device onto the workpiece surface, and cooling or rapidly freezing the coating material droplets during their transport from the melting location to the workpiece surface.

A thermal coating method for applying a functional layer to a workpiece surface, particularly for applying a running surface coating to a cylinder running surface of a crankcase of an internal-combustion engine, includes the steps of: melting a coating material by use of a melting device, applying coating material droplets to the workpiece surface by use of a gas jet aimed at the workpiece surface, which gas jet blows coating material droplets from a melting location of the melting device onto the workpiece surface, and cooling or rapidly freezing the coating material droplets during their transport from the melting location to the workpiece surface.

An object of this invention is to provide a crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal, which is optimized for providing a sapphire single crystal and is reusable. A crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal of this invention includes: a base material (3) containing molybdenum as a main component and having a crucible shape; and a coating layer (5) with which only an inner periphery of the base material (3) is coated and which is formed of tungsten and inevitable impurities, in which the coating layer (5) has a surface roughness Ra of 5 μm or more and 20 μm or less.

An object of this invention is to provide a crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal, which is optimized for providing a sapphire single crystal and is reusable. A crucible for growing a sapphire single crystal of this invention includes: a base material (3) containing molybdenum as a main component and having a crucible shape; and a coating layer (5) with which only an inner periphery of the base material (3) is coated and which is formed of tungsten and inevitable impurities, in which the coating layer (5) has a surface roughness Ra of 5 μm or more and 20 μm or less.

Methods of preventing or reducing cutter loss in a steel body PDC drilling tool may include applying a hardfacing layer on a surface of a PDC cutter pocket to form a covered PDC cutter pocket, the hardfacing layer comprising a metal binder and coated tungsten carbide particles; and bonding a PDC cutter into the covered PDC cutter pocket with a brazing material. Steel body PDC drilling tools may include a steel body, a PDC cutter, a PDC cutter pocket, and a hardfacing layer. Methods of preventing or reducing cutter loss in a steel body PDC drilling tool may include applying a hardfacing layer on a surface of a PDC cutter pocket of the steel body PDC drilling tool; applying a coated buffering layer on the hardfacing layer to form a coated PDC cutter pocket; and bonding the PDC cutter into the coated PDC cutter pocket with a brazing material.

A method of plasma spraying an article comprises inserting the article into a vacuum chamber for a low pressure plasma spraying system. A low pressure plasma spray process is then performed by the low pressure plasma spraying system to form a first plasma resistant layer having a thickness of 20-500 microns and a porosity of over 1%. A plasma spray thin film, plasma spray chemical vapor deposition or plasma spray physical vapor deposition process is then performed by the low pressure plasma spraying system to deposit a second plasma resistant layer on the first plasma resistant layer, the second plasma resistant layer having a thickness of less than 50 microns and a porosity of less than 1%.

A method of plasma spraying an article comprises inserting the article into a vacuum chamber for a low pressure plasma spraying system. A low pressure plasma spray process is then performed by the low pressure plasma spraying system to form a first plasma resistant layer having a thickness of 20-500 microns and a porosity of over 1%. A plasma spray thin film, plasma spray chemical vapor deposition or plasma spray physical vapor deposition process is then performed by the low pressure plasma spraying system to deposit a second plasma resistant layer on the first plasma resistant layer, the second plasma resistant layer having a thickness of less than 50 microns and a porosity of less than 1%.

A method of forming a sprayed coating includes preparing a spray target member having a surface on which openings of first ends of holes are formed, preparing a plurality of masking pins each of which comprises metal, and inserting each of the masking pins into a corresponding one of the holes so that each of the masking pins partially protrudes from the surface. The method also includes applying an adhesive agent for fixing the masking pins to the respective holes, to at least one of the holes or the masking pins, forming a ceramic layer by spraying on the surface of the spraying target member, the ceramic layer comprising a ceramic material, while the masking pins are fixed to the respective holes via the adhesive agent, and removing the masking pins from the holes after the spraying step.

An armoring part for a vehicle includes a steel plate made of at least partially hot formed and press hardened armor steel and having a hardness of 380 to 760 Vickers (HV). Applied on at least one side of the steel plate is a coat which is made of a metal material which is softer than a metal material of the armor steel. The coat is a thermally applied layer and has a hardness of 10 to 230 Vickers (HV).

An armoring part for a vehicle includes a steel plate made of at least partially hot formed and press hardened armor steel and having a hardness of 380 to 760 Vickers (HV). Applied on at least one side of the steel plate is a coat which is made of a metal material which is softer than a metal material of the armor steel. The coat is a thermally applied layer and has a hardness of 10 to 230 Vickers (HV).