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Thermal spray coatings play an important role in the automotive industry from the high-performance racing
sector to domestic automotive production. North American automobile production is predicted to hit an 11-
year high as stated in , June 2014. New vehicle production in North America continues to in-
crease and according to two major forecasters, production will surpass the prior year’s total of 15.5 million
units. LMC Automotive expects production to reach 16 million units while IHS Automotive predicts 16.1 million.
If those forecasts come true, North American production will have crested levels not seen since 2002 when the
auto industry turned out 16.5 million. This represents a considerable market opportunity for the coatings indus-
try. Thermal spray parts and components for these vehicles involve a large network of organizations including
automotive manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, thermal spray companies, equipment producers, and materials
suppliers.
One recent success story in the automotive industry relates to the development of plasma transferred wire
arc (PTWA) for aluminum engine blocks. Driven by the demand to increase fuel efficiency, automakers put a
strong emphasis on decreasing overall vehicle weight as well as improving engine efficiency by reducing inter-
nal friction losses. Consequently, the last couple of decades have seen a strong push to produce engine blocks
out of light cast alloys, such as aluminum. An article by Dr. Villafuerte, Centerline Windsor Ltd., is provided in
this edition to discuss this development in the automotive industry. In addition to an automotive contribution,
TSS is providing a two-part article on the importance of safety in thermal spray environments. In this August
edition, we are providing Part 1 of this important safety article.
Important ASM TSS events coming up include the North American Cold Spray Confer-
ence (NACSC) 2014: Covering the World of Cold Spray, and the Aerospace Coatings Con-
ference 2014: Development and Manufacturing Trends for the 21st Century. NACSC takes
place September 16-17 in Bromont, Quebec, Canada. Attendees will gain a basic under-
standing of the cold spray process, get a chance to follow global R&D programs on cold
spray technology, receive firsthand information on industrial applications, and network with
international experts. Advancements in cold spray technology are helping expand the commercial and aca-
demic applications of this technically superior metal deposition process.
ASM’s third TSS Aerospace Coatings Conference will be held in Hartford, Conn., October
8-9. This symposium brings together thermal spray professionals involved in a wide range of responsibilities.
Attendees will be able to understand future coating and process requirements, learn about cost reduction im-
provements related to quality and reliability factors, and gain an appreciation of existing thermal spray coatings
for the aerospace industry. Job shop sprayers, engineers, technicians, end-users, suppliers of equipment and
material, academicians, researchers, ma-
terials scientists, marketing companies,
and entrepreneurs will all benefit from this
event. The is a great opportunity to gain a
key perspective of the industry with ex-
citing presentations from invited presen-
ters including Rolls-Royce, Sulzer Metco,
PWA, Curtiss-Wright Surface Technolo-
gies, LLC Surface Technologies, Delta
Airlines Inc., Lufthansa Technik AG, Naval
Aviation Department, Pratt & Whitney,
KLM Engineering and Maintenance, and
other leading organizations.
ASM members’ regular and active
participation in these events is very im-
portant and ensures that we can keep or-
ganizing such world-class conferences in
the future. We hope you will attend these
events, we thank you in advance, and
look forward to seeing you there.
Robert Gansert, Ph.D.
iTSSe co-editor
Advanced Materials & Technology
Services Inc.
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ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES • AUGUST 2014 34
Thermal spray for
automotive applications on the rise
Seeking Nominations for
Thermal Spray Hall of Fame
The Thermal Spray Hall of Fame, established in 1993 by
the Thermal Spray Society of ASM International, recognizes
and honors outstanding leaders who have made significant
contributions to the science, technology, practice, education,
management, and advancement of the thermal spray industry.
For a copy of the rules, nomination form, and list of previous
recipients, visit or contact Sarina Pas-
toric at . Nominations are
due September 30.
EDUCATION
Introduction to Thermal Spray Education Course
October 6-7
ASM Headquarters, Materials Park, Ohio
Instructor: Rick Sayman
Thermal spray has evolved from a technology designed to be a cost
effective method of repairing worn components and machined parts
to a process used to provide improved part performance and add
longer life to components. As the thermal spray profession has
changed, so has the need to ensure safe and consistent methods
for thermal spray operators. ASM International brought together the
leaders in the Thermal Spray Society to compile their knowledge
and experience in a comprehensive, easy to understand course.
Visit for more details.