A steel piston with an engineered coating is provided. A high thermal conductivity material, for example copper, is disposed on first regions of a combustion bowl to reduce hot spots in the piston. A low thermal conductivity material, for example a ceramic, is disposed on second regions of the combustion bowl to reduce loss of heat through the piston. The high thermal conductivity material disposed on the combustion bowl has a surface roughness (R.sub.a) of less than 5 μm to help reflect IR radiation and promote fuel flow. The low thermal conductivity material disposed on the combustion bowl has a surface roughness (R.sub.a) of less than 3 μm to promote fuel flow. The low thermal conductivity material is also disposed on the bowl rim and top ring land, and has a surface roughness (R.sub.a) of greater than 8 μm on the bowl rim and top ring land to retard gas flow.

A plasma coating an object has an object profile, and includes the steps of: providing a replaceable shield including a jet inlet, a nozzle outlet and a sidewall extending from the jet inlet to the nozzle outlet; detachably attaching the replaceable shield to a jet outlet of a plasma jet generator; placing the object at the nozzle outlet such that the object profile fits closely to the nozzle outlet edge to within a distance of at least 0.1 mm and at most 5 mm; plasma coating the object with a low-temperature, oxygen-free plasma at an operating pressure which is higher than the atmospheric pressure by providing a plasma jet in the shield via the plasma jet generator and injecting coating precursors in the plasma jet in the shield; identifying the provided shield prior to providing the plasma jet.

A method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) mark in a protective coating including at least one of a TBC and a bond coating over a metal part, is provided. The method may include positioning a mask over the protective coating, the mask including an opening pattern therein; and performing an abrasive waterjet process on the protective coating using the mask. The abrasive waterjet erodes a first portion of the protective coating exposed through the first opening pattern to create the 3D mark. The mask is removed, leaving the 3D mark in the protective coating. The 3D mark only partially penetrates through the protective coating. A metal part may include a metal body, a protective coating over the metal body, and the 3D mark in the protective coating, is also provided. The 3D mark in the protective coating may include an opening having a width of between 30 and 300 micrometers.

A method of forming a coating includes disposing a substrate having a plurality of protrusions on a seal and layering a topcoat over the protrusions. The method of forming a coating also includes creating a wear pattern and converting the topcoat. A turbine section includes a casing, a plurality of blades within the casing, and a substrate deposited on the casing having a plurality of protrusions. The turbine also includes an unconverted topcoat disposed over the plurality of protrusions, the topcoat having segmented portions defining a plurality of faults extending from the protrusions through the topcoat. A method of forming a coating includes creating a channel in the coating during an initial rub event and converting the coating during a high-temperature event. Converting the coating includes preserving the channel created during the initial rub event.

A method of forming a coating includes disposing a substrate having a plurality of protrusions on a seal and layering a topcoat over the protrusions. The method of forming a coating also includes creating a wear pattern and converting the topcoat. A turbine section includes a casing, a plurality of blades within the casing, and a substrate deposited on the casing having a plurality of protrusions. The turbine also includes an unconverted topcoat disposed over the plurality of protrusions, the topcoat having segmented portions defining a plurality of faults extending from the protrusions through the topcoat. A method of forming a coating includes creating a channel in the coating during an initial rub event and converting the coating during a high-temperature event. Converting the coating includes preserving the channel created during the initial rub event.

A method includes applying a material coating on a surface of a machine component using a thermal spray, wherein the material coating is formed from a combination of a hardfacing material and aluminum-containing particles. The method also includes thermally treating the material coating to generate an oxide layer comprising aluminum from the aluminum-containing particles, wherein the oxide layer is configured to reduce oxidation of the hardfacing material.

A method includes applying a material coating on a surface of a machine component using a thermal spray, wherein the material coating is formed from a combination of a hardfacing material and aluminum-containing particles. The method also includes thermally treating the material coating to generate an oxide layer comprising aluminum from the aluminum-containing particles, wherein the oxide layer is configured to reduce oxidation of the hardfacing material.

In one example, a method for forming an environmental barrier coating (EBC) and/or abradable coating on a substrate. The method may include depositing a coating on a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite (CMC) substrate to form an as-deposited coating, wherein the coating includes at least one of an environmental barrier coating (EBC) and an abradable coating. The method further comprises heat treating the as-deposited coating at or above a first temperature for a first period of time following the deposition of the as-deposited coating on the substrate, wherein heat treating the as-deposited coating includes heating the as-deposited coating to or above the first temperature at a controlled rate. The heat treatment may be configured to at least one of decrease the open pores and/or microcracks of the heat-treated coating compared to the as-deposited coating or control a grain size of the heat-treated coating.

In one example, a method for forming an environmental barrier coating (EBC) and/or abradable coating on a substrate. The method may include depositing a coating on a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite (CMC) substrate to form an as-deposited coating, wherein the coating includes at least one of an environmental barrier coating (EBC) and an abradable coating. The method further comprises heat treating the as-deposited coating at or above a first temperature for a first period of time following the deposition of the as-deposited coating on the substrate, wherein heat treating the as-deposited coating includes heating the as-deposited coating to or above the first temperature at a controlled rate. The heat treatment may be configured to at least one of decrease the open pores and/or microcracks of the heat-treated coating compared to the as-deposited coating or control a grain size of the heat-treated coating.

A method for forming a coating on a component of a substrate processing system includes arranging the component in a processing chamber and applying a ceramic material to form the coating on one or more surfaces of the component. The ceramic material is comprised of a mixture including a rare earth oxide and having a grain size of less than 150 nm and is applied while a temperature within the processing chamber is less than 400° C. The coating has a thickness of less than 30 μm. A heat treatment process is performed on the coated component in a heat treatment chamber. The heat treatment process includes increasing a temperature of the heat treatment chamber from a first temperature to a second temperature that does not exceed a melting temperature of the mixture over a first period and maintaining the second temperature for a second period.