Seven years after its introduction, the KINETIKS cold spray system from Cold Spray Technology GmbH is proving its reliability in various industrial applications. As pressure and temperature of the process gas are the primary parameters generating high particle velocities, the improvement respective development of the system family was focused on those. A further step of improving coating properties was the development of a powder preheating feature. Applications using this technology are now starting in a wide field from automotive up to aerospace products.

The industrial use of cold spraying started in 2001 with the introduction of the Kinetic 3000 Cold Spray System from CGT. The heater is designed for a 24-hour operation and has proved its reliability in several installations. The powder feeder can run at the high feed rate of the Kinetic 3000 and is easy to operate. The nozzle design changed from a simple double cone-type to the latest MOC shape. The presentation will give an overview of the state-of-the-art technology in cold spraying.

With lightning speed, the thermal spray process cold spraying established itself as a viable coating technology. Due to such properties as dense, oxide-free coatings, a multitude of new applications now present themselves which, up to now, were not feasible using traditional processes. With the targeted and process-oriented groundwork of the competence group and the manufacturer of cold spray equipment, together with a gas company the equipment engineering for cold spraying has reached an extremely high technological level, facilitating an efficient operation with a tremendous process reliability. This work has, of course, involved extensive long-term testing of such components as the nozzle and gas heater. In the same way, by successfully adapting spray materials, cold spray coatings can now be applied in many new fields and technologies. Practical solutions are already available in the automotive and electronics industries. The constant encounter with new applications for which cold spraying can provide solutions, demonstrates that a new era of thermal spraying in all branches of industry has begun.

This paper provides an overview of the equipment used in cold gas spraying. It discusses the general design and operation of key components, including the nozzle, the control system, the gas heater, and powder feeder. It also describes a typical gas supply system, the recycling of helium, and the provisions for health and safety that are necessary in a spray booth. Paper includes a German-language abstract.