Our Processes and Capabilities
Plasma Processes offers a full range of advanced materials providing customized solutions for a wide variety of industry-specific applications. With our extensive knowledge and process expertise, we can combine task-specific, functional materials with cost-efficient processes, reducing your total cost of ownership from development through to commercializing into high-rate production.
Processes
Founded in 1993 and located in Huntsville, AL – “The Rocket City” – Plasma Processes is an AS9100D:ISO 9001:2015 certified provider of high-performance materials, coatings, and net-shape structures designed for the most extreme environments. We deliver advanced material solutions to aerospace, defense, space, energy, power generation, oil & gas, semiconductor, and other demanding industries. Our expertise spans high and ultra-high temperature materials, including refractory and platinum-group metals such as iridium, rhenium, tungsten, and molybdenum, along with oxides and ceramics. These materials are applied as specialty coatings or fabricated into custom parts to address thermal and oxidation protection, radiation shielding, wear and corrosion resistance, emissivity control, electrical isolation, and dimensional restoration. Capabilities include powder alloying and spheroidization (PAS), a full metallurgy laboratory, arc-jet testing, advanced machining with 5-axis and EDM systems, and multiple deposition processes including plasma spray, cold spray, and wire-arc spray. In 2024, Plasma expanded facilities to add more walled areas for special programs, precision post-processing and machining, and assembly operations. Our experienced team of engineers and subject matter experts (SME’s) have decades of experience maturing technologies from basic research through system qualification and into high-rate production. Our solutions are for products going into extreme conditions, whether that’s for commercial or government work. We partner with industry, academia, and research laboratories for enhancing next generation technologies. For more in depth information, visit our capabilities and product pages. See below for a summary of each of our main processes.
Vacuum Plasma/Low-Pressure Plasma Spray
Vacuum Plasma Spray (also referred to as Low-Pressure Plasma Spray) combines all the advantages of plasma spray within an inert environment to produce very dense coatings with the lowest oxide content.
Vacuum Plasma Spray is also cost effective for the spray forming of specialized materials, refractory metals and reactive materials (e.g. titanium). Vacuum Plasma Spray offers the following advantages over conventional atmospheric plasma process:
- Broader and longer spray jets
- Cleaner interfaces through reverse transfer arc sputter cleaning
- Oxide-free coatings
- High coating densities (close to theoretical)
- Low residual stress
- Increased deposition thickness capability (>25mm or 1 inch)
- High substrate/deposit preheating capability
Applications:
- Planar and cylindrical sputter targets
- Thermal Barrier Coatings
- Medical Device and Implant Coatings
- Refractory Metals
- Dense Ceramics
- Superalloys
- Rocket Nozzles
Shrouded Plasma Spray (SPS)
Shrouded Plasma Spray offers the versatility of atmospheric plasma spray within an inert atmosphere.
A shroud of protective gas surrounds the plasma jet and reduces the amount of oxygen available to oxidize the material being deposited. Shrouded Plasma Spray is used for oxygen-sensitive applications where functionality, size and budget do not require vacuum plasma spray deposition.
Applications:
- Oxidation-resistant coatings
- High-Z radiation shielding of electronics
- Thermal barrier coatings (TBC’s)
- Corrosion-resistance
- Neutron absorbing materials
- Medical device and implant coatings
Atmospheric Plasma Spray
The most flexible of thermal spray processes with ability to coat virtually any material while achieving excellent control of coating thickness and surface characteristics.
A strong electric arc is generated between a positively charged pole (anode) and a negatively charged pole (cathode). This ionizes the flowing process gases into the plasma state. Powdered feedstock material is injected into the plasma jet, melting the powder particles and propelling them to the surface of the workpiece.
Applications:
- Oxidation-resistant coatings
- Thermal barrier coatings
- Corrosion-resistance
- Neutron absorbing materials
- Medical device and implant coatings
- Wear resistant coatings
- Electrical contacts
- Emissivity Coatings (both high and low)
- Thermal protection
Cold Spray
Cold Spray is a material-deposition process whereby particles between 1 and 60 microns are impacted at high velocity onto a substrate. The particles are placed in a gas stream of nitrogen, helium or air, then heated and accelerated through a de Laval supersonic nozzle at speeds ranging from 1000 to 2500 meters per second. The particle stream is directed towards a substrate, where the particles are consolidated in a solid state.
A distinguishing feature of the cold spray process compared to conventional thermal spray processes is its ability to produce coatings without melting the applied material (i.e. coating). Consequently, deleterious effects of high-temperature oxidation, evaporation, melting, recrystallization, residual stress, debonding, and other concerns associated with thermal spray methods with a liquification step are minimized or eliminated. Cold Spray coatings are typically limited to ductile materials like aluminum, stainless steel, copper, titanium and alloys. Hard and brittle materials like ceramics cannot be deposited in the pure form to thicknesses of more than 25 microns but may be applied as composites with a ductile matrix phase. Substrate materials are also limited to those that can withstand the aggressive action of the spray particles. Soft or friable substrates will erode rather than be coated.
Applications:
- Additive/3D Printing
- Aerospace (MCrAlY)
- Automotive; corrosion protection for automotive body and chassis structures (Al and Zn)
- Chemical (Ti, Ta)
- Rapid Prototyping
- Rapid Tooling Repair
- Dimensional Restoration (Al, Mg, Cu, Steel)
- Corrosion protection
- Electrical connections (Au, Cu, Ag)
Wire Arc Spray
Wire Arc Spray (also referred to as Electric Arc Spray) is a simple, fast and economical thermal spray process for in-shop or on-site work.
Wire arc spray works by placing an electric arc between two consumable electrodes of a coating material, then using compressed gas to atomize and propel the material to the substrate. Wire Arc Spray occupies an important niche in thermal spray technology and is particularly suited to high-rate deposition.
Applications:
- Corrosion Protection
- Non-skid surfaces
- Low-temperature-capability for coatings onto substrates such as polymers and paper
- Erosion- and wear-resistant coatings
- Dimensional restoration
- Metalizing
- Electromagnetic shielding
EL-Form® Electrodeposition
EL-Form® electrodeposition is a versatile process producing extremely pure, dense and ductile refractory and platinum group metal structures, coatings and foam. Deposited from a non-toxic, molten salt electrolyte, EL-Form® products are virtually non-porous with typical densities greater than 99% and exhibit high ductility due to controlled grain growth and purity. EL-Form® is also versatile, producing micron to millimeter thick coatings and net-shape components; and is well suited to metals including iridium, niobium, rhenium, ruthenium, tungsten, molybdenum, hafnium and boron.
Applications:
- Crucibles
- High-performance combustion chambers
- High-performance nozzles, nozzle inserts and pintles
- Electrodes
- Sputter Targets
- Medical Devices
- Tubing, Sheet, Foil and Foam
- Metal Refining and Reclamation
- Catalyst
High-Velocity OxyFuel (HVOF)
High-Velocity Oxy Fuel (also referred to as HVOF) is a type of thermal spray process used to apply very dense coatings in a wide variety of materials.
Coatings applied by HVOF usually have better mechanical properties than those applied by air plasma spray. The HVOF process is now widely used to apply tungsten carbide coatings as an environmentally friendly alternative to chromium plating on high strength steel aircraft structural components.
Applications:
- Application of wear-resistant coatings such as tungsten carbide and nickel chromium carbide
- Corrosion-resistant coatings such as titanium, Hastelloy® and Inconel®
- Dimensional restoration (journal and shaft repair)
- Non-carcinogenic, hard chrome replacement
Powder Processing
Powder Alloying & Spheroidization (PAS) transforms flaky and angular powder particles into spheres, resulting in free-flowing powder feedstock with enhanced physical characteristics such as:
- Spherical Particle Shapes
- High Density
- Improved Flow
- Low Oxygen Content
- Controlled Particle
- Size Distribution
- Alloying
- Custom powder formulation
Virtually any powder or powder alloy, including crystalline, spray-dried, blended, agglomerated and composite powders, can be processed. Alloys can also be created by combining powder particles in the molten state. Processed powders typically feature spherical morphology, improved flow characteristics, greater packaging densities and a reduction in trace elements as compared to feedstock. Powders can be processed in the following environments: inert, air or reactive.
Applications:
- Rapid Prototyping
- Thermal Spraying
- Laser Cladding
- Metal Injection
- Molding
- Packing Density
- Hardfacing
- Piezoelectric Devices
- Medical Applications
Contract Research and Development
Plasma Processes offers confidential Contract Research & Development with focus on your finished product. Our experienced team of professionals provides services ranging from materials selection to prototype development.
Services include:
- Material recommendations
- Testing and characterization
- Proof-of-concept validation
- Initial prototype development
- Low rate production
- High rate production
Metallurgical Analysis
Plasma Processes has a fully equipped metallurgical laboratory with capabilities for testing and evaluating materials. Our in-depth technical understanding of materials and their applications is one of our key strengths.
Our in-house metallurgical lab is capable of performing the following tests:
- Metallography and Microstructural Analysis
- Hardness Testing
- Surface Roughness
- Bend Test
- Bond Strength
- Image Analysis
- Scanning Electron
- Microscope with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer
- Microhardness testing
- Density testing
- Emissivity testing
Arc-Jet Testing
Plasma has a certified arc-jet testing facility in-house utilizing its vacuum plasma spray equipment. We can perform arc-jet testing on small coupons using a spot size of .5’’-3.3’’ per jet and large edge radius up to about .1’’. We can combine up to 2 arc-jets to test larger areas/coupons. Our heat flux can be tuned from 100 W/cm2 to > 2000 w/cm2 and we can create atmospheric environments ranging from sea level to ~120,000 ft altitude. Our facilities are capable of simulating a full trajectory and flight pattern over time to give you a more detailed test of your potential material solution under these extreme flight conditions. We are flexible, affordable, and a great way to perform risk reduction prior to full solution testing in later R&D efforts.
Powder Alloying and Spheroidization (PAS)
Plasma Processes offers custom formulation and processing powders, achieving the desired chemical constituency, particle size and morphology. We welcome inquiries from bench scale through production. We use an in-house capability to perform Powder Alloying & Spheroidization (PAS). PAS transforms flaky and angular powder particles into spheres, resulting in free-flowing powder feedstock with enhanced physical characteristics such as:
- Spherical Particle Shapes
- High Density
- Improved Flow
- Low Oxygen Content
- Controlled Particle Size Distribution
- Alloying
- Custom powder formulation
Virtually any powder or powder alloy, including crystalline, spray-dried, blended, agglomerated and composite powders, can be processed. Alloys can also be created by combining powder particles in the molten state. Processed powders typically feature spherical morphology, improved flow characteristics, greater packaging densities and a reduction in trace elements as compared to feedstock. Powders can be processed in the following environments: inert, air or reactive. The benefit of a PAS system is not only to develop new material solutions or configurations, but also to create precise formulations that can then be processed using a variety of AM or Plasma processes. We have even used PAS to create material to be used within 3D printing machines. Plasma Processes manufactures high-performance, custom 3D-Powders that facilitate superior flow and high packing densities and are available in research, prototype and bulk quantities. Single elements and alloys are available from essentially any element within the periodic table. We have a large and small system in-house and can perform work usually within a few weeks of contact and upon receipt of material for processing. Plasma Processes offers custom formulation and processing of customer-supplied single element and alloy powders achieving the desired chemical constituency, particle size and morphology.
Flame Spray
Wire or powder feedstock are melted in a flame spray torch and sprayed onto a substrate.
Applications
- Corrosion protection
- Electrical contacts
- EMI Shielding
Super-Sonic Combustion Jet Testing (using HVOF)
Plasma has multiple in-house supersonic combustion torches (i.e. small rocket engines) utilizing our Hyper Velocity Oxy Fuel (HVOF) equipment. Supersonic Combustion Jet testing is conducted on coupons using a spot size of <1” per jet. The jets are robotically controlled to test larger areas. The incident heat flux is measured and can be tuned from 100 W/cm2 to 1500 w/cm2 at sea level. Our facilities can simulate a trajectory over time, thus giving a more detailed test result of a potential material solution under varied conditions. Particles can be added to replicate complex combustion flows. We have provided these types of services for material evaluations, thickness investigations, bond joint testing, erosion testing, oxidation testing and more. Our Super Sonic Combustion Jet testing provides a rapid, safe, flexible, and affordable way to perform risk reduction testing during R&D or product improvement initiatives without testing in larger rocket engines.
Other Processes
Other processes include powder coating, primer, paint, intumescent, dry film lubricants, dip coatings, slurry coatings, and more. Coatings are typically applied by traditional multi-component paint technologies with or without furnace curing.
Applications
- Corrosion protection
- Custom colors
- Lubrication
- Shielding
- Fire protection
- Thermal protection
- Silicide coatings (i.e. R512e equivalent)
capabilities
Processes
Plasma Processes offers a wide range of manufacturing and coating processes, each with unique characteristics that make it attractive for specific applications. Our core competencies include a complete family of thermal spray processes and a unique electrochemical deposition process, EL-Form® for coatings and net-shape manufacturing; Powder Alloying and Spheroidization for the production and toll processing of spherical and alloyed powders; and a complete metallurgical laboratory for material analysis and characterization. Lastly, we offer consulting and contract research and development (R&D) engineering services where we provide design for manufacturability (DFM) and material advice.
Materials
Plasma Processes offers a wide variety of materials and material combinations to produce coatings and net-shape components. Virtually any material with a true melt point can be deposited by thermal spray processes. Materials that dissociate, decompose or sublime at elevated temperatures can also be deposited when combined with other materials. As a result, most metals, including intermetallics, alloys, all forms of ceramics including oxides, borides, silicides, cermets, and some polymers are sprayable by one or more of the thermal spray processes.
The EL-Form® process is well suited to platinum group and refractory metals including iridium, molybdenum, niobium, rhenium, ruthenium, tungsten, hafnium and boron.
Our materials are utilized mostly in space, commercial aerospace, hypersonics, missiles, and energy markets.
Markets
Plasma Processes provides materials solutions for a wide range of industrial applications to improve performance, extend service life and enhance the appearance of engineered components. With our extensive knowledge and process expertise, we can combine task-specific, functional materials with cost-efficient processes reducing total cost of commercialization vs. total cost of ownership.
APPLICATIONS
What it’s used for
Plasma Processes offers innovative products and services for highly demanding markets and is dedicated to providing customers with advanced materials solutions and enabling capabilities. We drive technology with engineered products and coatings for emerging technologies through the implementation of unique materials and processes.