Abstract
The trend in thermal spraying is increasingly towards a globally uniform level of high-grade spray coatings. It is therefore extremely important that auxiliaries such as spray materials or industrial gases undergo precise examination in order to exactly define their influence. This is not only made possible by selecting the right system, but also by choosing the right gas and gas mixture. In order to broaden the range of thermal spray applications, we have endeavoured to investigate the issue of the right gas mix for arc spraying. In doing so, it was concluded that, by using wire as the spray material, this cost-effective process can often be used as an equally viable alternative to other methods. The optimization of costs, extended lifetime of systems and tailoring of coating properties to suit specific applications are just some of these influencing variables
