Flash carbide is a fast coating technology based on High Velocity Air-Fuel Thermal Spray(HVAF) and is an ideal alternative coating for chrome plating.High Velocity Air Fuel Thermal Spray(HVAF)-is a thermal spray process characterized by low combustion tenperatures(1800-1950°C)and high particle velocities(800-1200m/s) with low oxidation rates of carbide and metal coatings Good ductility,non_porous and high adhesion.

The most economical coating is not the one sprayed with the highest DE.It^,s the highest DE .It^,s the thinest coating.   

a)The coating thickness is comparable to tolerances for the final coated part(i.e.,20-25 micron)

b)The coating roughness is low -"ground-like" Ra 1.5-1.7 micron

c)Such coating does not,require dimensionoal grinding

d)Polishing to Ra 0.2-0.3 micron removes only about 5 micron of "as-sprayed" thickness 

Flash Carbide Process 

    Dimension-grind the part to lowest tolerancee,Ra 0.5 micron

    One pre-heating/cleaning pass with the gun flame

    Pass(es) of coating,HVAF fine/dense WC-10Co-4Cr powder(30 micron)

    Polish surface to needed roughness (remain ing 22-25 micron of coating)

    Multiple data coonfirmed improved quality of HVAF-sprayed WC-coatings as compared to state-of-the art HVOF.Herewith, in many industrial applications it is reasonable to sacrifice some quality to achieve higher DE and correspopndingly lower cost with HVAF, still meeting thespecified coating quality requirements.A line of AK HVAF guns of different power is created to adress the variety of industrial applications with the best efficiency.The hardware allows operation in different modes to balance the coating quality and cost.