Thousands of patents address new coating types, new developments, new chemical compositions. However, sometimes coatings is still considered as an "art". This book now deals with questions that are essential for a good performance of this "art": Is there a given process stability? Is there an inherent process capability for a given specification which cannot be improved? What is the right preventive maintenance strategy? Is there a chance to end up with coating process capabilities in the order of other manufacturing processes?
This book is not a pure scientific book. It is of most value for the engineer involved in design, processing and application of thermally spayed coatings:
To understand the capability and limitations of thermal spraying, to understand deposition efficiency (waste of powder) and the importance of maintenance and spare parts for quick change over of worn equipment, to use offline programming and real equipment in an optimum mix to end up with stable processes in production after shortest development time and in the end to achieve the final target in production: process stability at minimum total cost.

Dr.-Ing. Klaus Schneider is a Consultant in materials, manufacturing and logistics for the power generation industry, after being in charge of research projects at ALSTOM, Switzerland. He has more than 30 years of experience in this business.

1 INTRODUCTION
2 PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE TODAY
3 QUALITY AND PROCESS CAPABILITY
4 THEORY AND PHYSICAL TRENDS
5 OFF-LINE SIMULATION OF A THERMAL SPRAY PROCESS
6 STANDARDS AND TRAINING
7 MONITORING, SHOPFLOOR EXPERIENCE AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
8 OUTLOOK, SUMMARY