Thermal Spray Has A Place In The Sugar Industry
Thermal spraying (coating technologies in general) provide a wide variety of coating techniques that are being used every day in the sugar industry. These coating processes protect both worn and new equipment, parts, and components; thereby helping to reduce maintenance costs. These parts, components, and equipment need protection against corrosive, erosive, and abrasive degradation.
Costs Affecting The Bottom-Line
In the multiple-process sugar industry, maintenance costs can make up more than 10% of the value of the goods they produce. These costs can include refining, crushing, and packing of beet and cane sugar. Expensive downtime and equipment maintenance is, more times than not, a direct result of corrosion, erosion, adhesion, and integration. This leads to components and parts wearing out before their time. It is entirely possible for the downtime that results (repairs and replacement) to take a sizeable chunk out of the budgeted amount for maintenance costs. More than one third of the budget, in fact.
Why Use Protective Coatings?
Superior coating solutions of excellent quality offer protection against corrosion and surface wear. The cost savings can be numerous including production and productivity, improved plant and equipment uptime, reduced downtime, and the enhancement of your equipment’s lifespan.
Specific To The Sugar Industry
The generic term assigned to a spray process that deposits nonmetallic or fine metallic materials onto a part, component, etc. is ‘thermal spray’. This process creates a protective coating that can be in the form of wire, rod, or powder. Most frequently used in the sugar industry are the following:
- Polymeric solutions or diamant metalplastic – Help reduce scrap by restoring functionality to castings. Also, can provide other protective services and be used as surface treatments, to repair blow holes, impregnate and seal leaks, etc.
- Nonstick and traction coatings known as plasma coatings – In addition to the sugar industry, these coatings and technologies are being used in industries such as diaper, paper and pulp, tire and rubber, printing and packaging, food, etc.
- Polymer applications
- PTA or plasma transferred arc – A hard facing and welding process
- Powder plasma spraying – Offers coatings with higher adhesion strength that are finely structured
- Wire arc spraying – Provides coatings that are higher porosity and coarse
- HVOF or high velocity oxy-fuel – Usually liquid or gas fueled, delivers a continuous powder feed
Application types that are typical of the sugar industry include the following:
- Bearing journals
- Bearings and flanges
- Valve covers
- Conveyor screws
- Pump casings
- Scrapers
- Crusher rolls
- Shredder hammers
Is there a company in existence the doesn’t want to increase production while reducing costs? It is little wonder that high-quality corrosion and wear resistant thermal spray coatings are being used in numerous industries throughout the world. Thermal spray coatings have certainly sweetened the bottom line for the sugar industry.
A&A Coatings’ years of experience in corrosion and wear resistance with spray coatings makes it the perfect solution for lowering your maintenance costs and, as a result, protecting your bottom line. We have the necessary knowledge and capabilities in place to make sure that the applications and techniques used are not only appropriate for your cause, but irreplaceable. Contact us to see how we can help you and your company secure successful results when it comes to helping maintain a low or manageable maintenance budget.
