Overview and Research Progress of Cold Spray Technology

Cold Spray, also known as Cold Gas Dynamic Spray (CGDS), is a coating technique based on aerodynamics. It uses a high-pressure gas source to accelerate solid particles to extremely high velocities, which then impact the substrate and deposit to form a coating.

In high-end industrial sectors such as aerospace, energy equipment, and automotive manufacturing, surface coating technology is crucial for enhancing the service life and performance of components. As two of the core technologies in materials surface engineering, cold spray and thermal spray are often compared with each other. This article will provide an in-depth analysis from multiple perspectives—including technical principles, performance parameters, and application scenarios—to help you precisely match the right technological solution.

Aerospace Engine Blade Flame Erosion Testing System

The “Aeroengine Blade Flame Erosion Testing System” has passed acceptance testing at East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai. It is used to evaluate the high-temperature erosion and ablation performance of aeroengine blades.

Development of Cold Spray and the Current Research Status at Home and Abroad

The concept of cold spraying was proposed in 1990, originating from experiments conducted in the mid-1980s at a Soviet research institute. During supersonic wind-tunnel tests using tracer particles, researchers observed that when the particle velocity exceeded a certain critical threshold, the interaction between the tracer particles and the target surface shifted from erosion to accelerated deposition.

U.S. Cold Spray Technology Used to Refurbish Aging Bombers

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and Ellsworth Air Force Base have signed a formal partnership to jointly undertake project research aimed at modernizing aging bombers. To date, four B-1 bombers have been refurbished, enabling them to remain in service and saving the military millions of dollars.

The U.S. Air Force is evaluating two cold spray processes.

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has recently, through evaluation, validated two cold-spray deposition technologies that make it possible to apply tungsten carbide–cobalt (WC-Co) coatings to high-strength steel components in aircraft. If subsequent tests are successful, these technologies could serve as an alternative to electroplated hard chrome (EHC).

Because the particle temperature is relatively low during cold spraying, the powder is less likely to undergo oxidative phase transformations. As a result, the microstructure of the coating formed is essentially unchanged compared to that of the powder before spraying. Therefore, a wide variety of powders—such as pure metal powders, alloy powders, and composite coatings—can be used in cold spraying, enabling the production of coatings with diverse properties.

The newly upgraded and revamped SX-8000-type fuel (HVOF) supersonic spraying equipment.

To ensure that our equipment maintains stable and reliable performance over the long term and to minimize failure rates to the greatest extent possible, our company has newly upgraded and produced the (SX-8000 high-speed fuel spraying equipment), whose key core components are 100% sourced from imported brands, thereby eliminating customers’ worries about after-sales service.