October 2012 / published in GTS-Strahl 28  

Newcomer@GTS meeting at the TU Chemnitz:
A look at research and new media for thermal spraying

Jörn Putzier, Leichlingen

In 2011, we decided to restructure the organization of GTS Newcomers. Newsletters, invitations and reminders via the GTS mailing list contributed to a record-breaking turnout at the meeting at FST. The collective membership of Dutch spray businesses and the interesting program were definitely instrumental in its success, which then, of course, motivated us to put together an equally inspiring agenda for the next session. The Faculty for Composite Materials at the TU Chemnitz had already offered to host such a meeting sometime ago, and we gratefully accepted the invitation. Without further ado, Dr Rupprecht and Mr Paczkowski then presented a riveting program.

As Chemnitz is not exactly central in terms of its location and transport connections, we only anticipated a muted turnout. But the number of participants exceeded our wildest expectations. In the end, 21 people from four countries turned up, plus the three speakers.

The majority took part in the Sunday afternoon visit to the tin mine Ehrenfriedersdorf. The very varied and fascinating tour through the Saxon “underworld” imparted extensive insights into the arduous working life of the miners. So here’s to all those who are privileged to work for an OHSAS 18001 certified company.

A short break followed and GTS then generously treated us to a meal of Saxon specialities in a very nice restaurant. A good setting for a relaxed getting-to-know-each-other and lively conversation.


Insights into the Saxon “underworld” during a visit to the tin mine Ehrenfriedersdorf (left) and culinary delights from Saxony: interesting diversion for Newcomer@GTS.

The next morning, we met at the TU Chemnitz for the technical part of the meeting. After the participants had introduced themselves and Dr Rupprecht introduced his faculty, the various lectures began.

Dr. Rupprecht started off by presenting an internet forum. The use of this medium as a platform for technical exchanges underscores the impression we gained of the people from Chemnitz, i.e. as researchers with a modern and gratifyingly fresh approach. The website www.forum-thermisches-spritzen.de offers a broad spectrum of thermal spray topics for discussion. The logical and clearly structured arrangement of folders provides a wealth of valuable and interesting knowledge on the subject of thermal spraying. The tone of the forum is pleasingly casual, friendly and at the same time professional.


Dr Christian Rupprecht from the TU Chemnitz presents the new Internet forum for thermal spraying.

This was followed by Mr Paczkowski’s lecture on the renaissance of arc spraying. In a highly successful presentation, he imparted a better understanding of high velocity arc spraying, which the TU Chemnitz has optimized by way of the pulse-controlled flow of the atomizing gas. The innovative application example – the manufacture of lightweight ball screws with a sprayed jacket on a fibre-compound core – illustrated what this tried and proven process is capable of in its latest evolutionary phase.

The third speaker was Dr Zimmermann from the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich. He reported on the developments and application areas for modern plasma generators in the field of thermal spraying. After a brief general introduction to the topic, he outlined the current status of development and followed up with a more in-depth look at the latest trends. Here the focus was on multi-cathode, multi-anode and broad-beam plasma generators.


The development of modern plasma generators is the topic of Dr Stephan Zimmermann from the University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich.

All three presentations showed that, after many decades of application, thermal spraying is a technology which is still very much alive and undergoing continuous development, yielding innovative new products and is also open to using the latest forms of
media.

We would like to extend a huge thank-you to all the speakers who contributed to the success of the meeting and to its record turnout. Special thanks also go to the Faculty for Composite Materials at the TU Chemnitz for hosting and helping to organize the event.

We are now looking forward to the next Newcomer meeting in 2013. The date and venue will be announced shortly via the GTS mailing list.

 

 

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Last updated: 16.09.13 Home Copyright (C) 2012 GTS e.V.