Beyond Traditional Repair: How Spray Welding Renews Your Parts

We've all been there: a piece of equipment goes down, and you're facing the headache of finding a replacement and extended downtime. It's a universal problem in our line of work. But what if there was a solution that can extend the lifespan of your parts? One that could enhance performance and save you a significant amount of time and money? 

The good news is there is one. That solution is spray welding. 

What Exactly is Spray Welding? 

At its core, spray welding involves applying molten material onto a surface. Now, you might be thinking, "Isn't that just welding?" Not quite. The key difference lies in the minimal heat applied to the base material. 

Unlike traditional welding, where you're often dealing with enough heat to cause distortion in the base metal, spray welding keeps things relatively cool. This means less distortion and warping, and the original properties of the base material are preserved. Plus, it's versatile in the types of materials that can be applied, using different techniques like thermal spray and flame spray. 

How Does it Work? 

​While specific techniques vary, the general process of spray welding involves a few key steps: 

1. Surface Preparation: The component's surface is turned down and cleaned to make sure the new material will stick evenly. This often involves grit blasting to create a rough profile. 
2. Material Feeding: A specialized gun or torch feeds the chosen material (in powder, wire, or rod form) into a heat source. 
3. Melting and Atomization: The material is heated to a molten or semi-molten state. Depending on the technique, it might then be atomized into fine droplets. 
4. Application: The molten or semi-molten particles are shot onto the surface, where they flatten and solidify, forming a dense coating. 
5. Finishing (Optional): After the desired thickness is achieved, the coated part may undergo grinding, machining, or polishing to achieve the final dimensions and surface finish.​

Prior to spray welding, the part is turned down to ensure even application of the weld.

Why Choose Spray Welding? 

Let's talk about the real-world problems we face and how spray welding tackles them head-on. 

• Component Lifespan & Reduced Downtime: We know wear and tear leads to part failure. Spray welding builds up worn surfaces and creates a protective coating. This leads to longer operational life for your parts and less downtime for your machinery. 
• Enhanced Wear & Corrosion Resistance: Harsh operating environments are notorious for causing material degradation. With spray welding, you can apply specialized coatings like ceramics or hard metals. These introduce protection against abrasion, erosion, and harsh chemicals. 
• Cost-Effective Repair vs. Replacement: Let's be honest, new parts are expensive, and lead times can be a nightmare. Especially right now. Spray welding allows us to repair and restore existing parts, often bringing them back to their original specifications or even improving upon them. This means you don’t have to spend the big bucks on new parts and you don't have to deal with production delays. 
• Versatility & Customization: We all deal with unique challenges, and a one-size-fits-all solution rarely cuts it. The beauty of spray welding is its versatility. We can work with a wide range of materials, including various metals, alloys, and ceramics, to address diverse applications. This allows us to develop unique solutions for your specific needs. ​

Spray welding builds up worn surfaces and creates a protective coating. This leads to longer operational life for your parts and less downtime for your machinery.

Ideal Applications for Spray Welding 

​You might be wondering where spray welding really shines. Here are just a few examples of where it can make a big difference: 

• Manufacturing: Think shafts, rollers, and bearing journals that see constant use. 
• Heavy Equipment: From excavator pins to hydraulic cylinders, these parts take a beating. 
• Energy & Power Generation: Turbine components and boiler tubes benefit from enhanced protection. 
• Oil & Gas: Pump components and valve seats are prime candidates for wear and corrosion resistance. 
• Agricultural Machinery: Many farm equipment parts can extend their lifespan. 

Essentially, if you have a component subject to wear, corrosion, or one that needs specific surface properties, spray welding is definitely worth considering. 

The Action Machine Advantage 

In a nutshell, spray welding offers an approach to achieving greater durability, cost savings, and efficiency for your critical equipment. Don't let worn-out parts slow you down. Let's talk about how spray welding can renew your components and keep your operations running smoothly. 
At Action Machine, we are welders and also a full-service machine shop. This means we understand the entire lifecycle of your components, from initial wear to precision repair. We have the expertise to not only apply these advanced spray welding solutions but also to machine and finish parts to exact specifications. 

Our Welding Capabilities