In this work, a LCA based on Eco-indicator 99 methodology was used to compare the environmental impacts and benefits of thermal spraying (including APS, HVOF, Flame and Cold Spray) carried out with materials which could be used in application to resist against wear and/or corrosion. The comparison was carried out using the SimaPro 7.2 software, and it was focused on all stages necessary to build the coating, i.e. extraction of raw materials, production of powder, transport, surface preparation, thermal spray operating, until the end of life, as well as emissions (solid, liquid and gaseous) at each stage of a process. As a major result, it appears that the lifetime of the coatings plays a high role. If a coating needs to be regularly replaced or if failure of the coating decreases the lifetime of the component, this almost impact on the LCA. Moreover, there is an influence on the nature of the resources used to build the coating, as well as on the end of life strategies.

Norway is a rich country endowed with many natural resources including hydropower, oil and gas, wind power, fish, etc. Norway has nowadays a high technological and research based industry. The discovery of the first oil field in 1969 has been the driving force for the Norwegian economy, accounting for nearly 50% of exports and 30% of state revenue. Since then several technology-based industries have been created and developed not only around the oil and gas business, but also in other fields such as the Aluminium production. Thermal Spray has played an important role in the Norwegian industry, where it has been used for more than 40 years in many different applications (corrosion and wear protection in the offshore industry, aeronautical industry, etc). The Norwegian thermal spray producers and users have a long tradition in collaborating and also working with R&D institutes such as SINTEF and Universities (specially the The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU) in order to develop new and better coatings. Based on this collaboration the Norwegian Thermal Spray Group was established in 1995 and since then it has grown constantly. The members of the group are: Bandak AS, Castolin Services, CerPoTech, GBSGroup, HCStarck, Mantena, Mets AS, Norwegian armed force logistic division (LHK), Powder Tec AS, Scana, SprayService AS, SubseaDesign, Teknologisk Institute, Trio AF, Volvo Aero Norge, SINTEF and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The group includes materials suppliers, coating producers, end users, education and certifying, research institutes and Universities. The aim of the group is to develop thermal spray activities in Norway and find new solutions for existing and new challenges in surface protection.