Application of thermal spraying in the automobile industry

New advanced thermal spray technology, provides wear resistant coatings on the cylinder surface of aluminum or magnesium engines. The special surface topography obtained after the finishing allows us to decrease significantly the coefficient of friction and to decrease the fuel consumption by an amount of 2 to 4%. Engine tests on diesel and gasoline engines have confirmed the value of this technology for energy saving. This coating technology was introduced 4 years ago in Europe by the manufacturers of high power diesel and gasoline engines. The combination of different MMC coating materials allows the development of new specific solutions for each type of engine. Coatings with improved corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance were also developed and are available now. A brief overview of other applications of thermal spraying in the automotive industry will also be given. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.