Plasma Enamelling - A New Process

Research shows that plasma spraying can produce dense coatings of vitreous enamel on steel. The enamel feedstock powder is fused separately in the plasma while the substrate remains at a low temperature. This enables enamelling to be carried out in a single stage operation without the need for a furnace, which offers the potential of widening the applicability of enamel coatings. A computer simulation has been developed that provides comprehensive data for understanding the process and its control. The results from experimental trials were found to be in agreement with those from the computational model.