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HVOF: The Bread and Butter of Thermal Spray

HVOF Cylinder Spray

Thermal spray is highly known by those who use it and usually unheard of by those who do not. Once someone hears about the benefits of thermal spray, they are usually hooked. The performance numbers do not lie. We have customers who are used to replacing parts every few days, implement the same parts with thermal spray coating and see their parts lasting months in production. We offer many different thermal spray processes for various industrial applications. Our most popular thermal spray process is high velocity oxy-fuel or HVOF. So, what is HVOF and what makes it so great?

Hardness, Hardness, Hardness

HVOF uses a specialized spray gun and carrier gases to spray metal powder onto various substrate materials. These metal powders are most typically in the carbide family; which are known for their superior hardness capabilities. These carbide coatings are especially useful in high wear situations. They protect against galling and material erosion. HVOF coatings also aid in dimensional restoration; spun bearings, galling and high wear areas are all good candidates for HVOF dimensional restoration. Using different particle sizes, materials and process parameters, we can engineer coatings for variety of applications.

Time is Money

HVOF is chosen over others most often for its hardness benefits but it is not the only reason. Another benefit is spray time. HVOF can lay down more material with better quality and less time than its plasma predecessors. This adds even more merit to its cost effectiveness. When your machine breaks down and parts need to be repaired, it can slow down your production for maintenance time, or worse, put you out of commission. HVOF can provide the fast turn around time needed to get you back up and running.

Chosen for Corrosion


The Bread and ButterWhile time is money, time in this case also means less oxidation of metal particles in HVOF coatings. Since the metal is sprayed at a much faster rate than other spray types there is less time for the particles to experience oxidation. Spray rate also increases particle density making the coating less porous, therefore more corrosion resistant. You can use a part made of a less expensive, high corrosive metal, coat it with HVOF and end up with a cost effective, highly corrosion resistant part. Between oxidation and wear resistance we literally have your parts covered.

The Bread and Butter

The many benefits of HVOF make it our most applicable thermal spray process for high wear items and chrome replacement. It goes with almost everything, like bread and butter. It can be a key aspect to rounding out your production and increasing the performance of your machine parts. Instead of pausing for regular maintenance once a week, thermal spray could possibly get you to once a month or even once a year. The possibilities are endless. Call us today to see if HVOF is the solution for your repair and production needs!