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Baumann Plasma Flame Technic AG

Small coating business with a tremendous technological edge

Surface finishing is one of the three topics at the international trade fair “Schweissen & Schneiden 2013”, which focuses on joining, cutting and surfacing. To position themselves competitively, companies constantly endeavour to enhance the quality of their machines, systems and components, i.e. to protect them against wear caused by abrasion, erosion and corrosion. Cost reduction and resource management play an equally important role here. Thermal spraying, with its broad spectrum of processes, has meanwhile undeniably proven its worth in this field. Depending on the application, it is essential to design or alter surfaces in such a way that they can cope with every demand at a maximum level.

How a small innovative coating business is asked again and again to contribute its know-how to large research and development programs is clearly demonstrated by Baumann. For example, how do you coat components to increase the efficiency of solar projects from a current 15% to as much as 45%?

The main driving force – finding solutions
Baumann Plasma Flame Technic AG in Höri, Switzerland is run by the owner himself. Hanspeter Walker took over the company in 2003 after having worked in partnership with Baumann for 14 years. During this time, the mechanical engineer established a coating business called C3Surfaces for a Swiss manufacturer and subsequently founded his own coating business Walker MST. Until he took over Baumann AG in 2003, he successfully broadened his knowledge in the thermal spray sector. Metal spraying fascinated him so much that he turned his work into a hobby. As the person responsible for heavy-duty corrosion protection in hydropower plants, oil refineries and fuel depots, he was able to acquire all-round experience in the field of surface technology.

“Customer-oriented solutions have always been my driving force“, explains Hanspeter Walker, “This means results which solve the problem, are economical and spare resources and the environment.”

The acquisition of Baumann made a wish come true. Years of gathering experience had now paid off for the benefit of the customer.

Partner in a solar project with maximum efficiency
Metal and ceramic coatings for repairs and new parts which are deposited with the thermal spray processes powder-flame spraying, wire-flame spraying, arc spraying, plasma spraying and high velocity oxy-fuel flame spraying (HVOF) are just one area Baumann Plasma Flame Technic AG focuses on. Its second focus is being a reliable development partner for special applications. One of his partners is Dipl.-Ing. Ulrich Georg Bech, Managing Director of Engineering at Welldone Malta El Sur Ltd. This consortium with international engineering expertise offers technical solutions based on special materials, for example, building a more efficient solar heating plant, or concentrated solar power (CSP) system, to better exploit the 65% efficiency which is theoretically available in gas and steam turbines. Combined with a hot gas storage system, a total efficiency of 45% can be achieved compared to Spanish solar heating systems with salt storage which only manage around 22% to 26%. The basic principle is a specially developed “centrepiece” in which the sun’s rays are bundled and can be raised to a temperature of 2000°C. The solar heat is transferred in pipes using heated nitrogen. The heated volume of the nitrogen serves as an energy source to drive the gas turbine. The project was induced by the still very low yield of only 15% for current photovoltaic technology. In our latitudes, the summer sun can only be exploited at midday and its actual storage still presents an enormous problem. Georg Ulrich Bech, who has “totally internalized” the field of special materials, first gained experience in the steel industry in the 70s, then changed to application technology and worked in Switzerland for twelve years. Grinning, he remarks: “25 years ago, experienced engineers ironically maintained that harnessing solar energy in Germany was like growing pineapples in Greenland.” Even today the recovery and economic exploitation of the sun is still problematical. The Chinese with their inefficient solar power plants are dying to get their hands on Bech’s special centrepiece, especially as the old facilities could continue to be used.

Innovation, creativity and reliability
An intensive development process was needed to get the “centrepiece” ready for use in high-temperature solar applications. The high temperatures required that many components be made of special materials to withstand the extreme conditions. This meant that suitable materials for coating the different components and appropriate coating methods needed to be found. Ulrich Georg Bech therefore began his search for the right partner and chose Hanspeter Walker, the owner of Baumann. Their joint activities started around ten years ago and included various projects, one of which was the coating of medical devices for the end-user, in particular hip implants. Here, Ulrich Georg Bech explains: “Mr Walker and his company Baumann are a typical example of the “right mix”. With him, I know my development project is in good hands because I can trust him 100 per cent. He is an expert in the manufacture of coatings, just like many others too, but what is equally important are three assets he possesses which are crucial in the joint development process: innovation, creativity and reliability. This would not be possible in a large enterprise where chief executives often change and know-how simply disappears.”

Quality assurance and certification
Baumann Plasma Flame Technic AG is successful because company policy is based on the principle of the three pillars: “customer”, “staff” and “management”. It is solution oriented and offers high flexibility, short lead times, and a good price-performance ratio – all qualities which the customer appreciates and respects.

In its equipment line-up, Baumann has three sound-proof booths. One is exclusively used for medical applications, for example depositing titanium-hydride coatings on implants with air plasma spraying. Spraying with titanium hydride provides an enlarged porous surface which in turn facilitates biocompatible bone ingrowth. This type of coating is applied to human implants and in animal medicine.

Baumann’s range of offerings also includes research and development for companies setting up business in the field of heat transfer elements for heating systems in cars or heating for alternative drive modules. Consulting with respect to equipment and the sale of auxiliaries, e.g. powder and wire, for smaller coating businesses is yet another service Baumann provides.

A further research project deals with the coating of fuel cells. Fuel-cell technology is one of the most ecological ways of obtaining energy from natural gas or bio-natural gas. Efficiency and sustainability thanks to fuel cells. In an electrochemical process, fuel cells transform gas which is rich in hydrogen into heat and power at an enhanced level of efficiency. The model for the future – ideal for electronics and heating needs in buildings.

The Baumann enterprise is one of approximately 200 members of GTS, the Association of Thermal Sprayers, and has been the proud owner of the GTS Certificate since 2008 – the first certificate worldwide for thermal spray processes, personnel and products. With this certification, GTS members clearly distinguish themselves from other companies with conventional certification. GTS e. V., founded and officially registered in 1992, is now an organization on a global level uniting industry, small coating businesses, trading companies and research organizations involved in thermal spraying. It keeps its members up to date by way of specialist conferences and exhibitions. 13 of its members will be present at the trade fair “Schweißen & Schneiden 2013“.

Baumann AG has also recently been certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2008.

Hanspeter Walker, who has become a trendsetter with his cutting edge technology, is now seriously working on a succession plan for his company. Sustainability with emphasis on existing customers and staff, of course, takes top priority here.
 

Hanspeter Walker (left) and one of his staff in front of a control unit for a plasma system used in the medical sector.		Booth 3: installations used exclusively in the medical sector.
A coated fuel cell.		Corrosion protection on a rotor.

 
Author: Ursula Mertig, MM Mertig Marktkommunikation, Munich-Gauting
Photos: Baumann Plasma Flame Technic AG

Contact:

Hanspeter Walker
Company owner
Baumann Plasma Flame Technic AG
Hofstrasse 1, 8181 Höri b.Bülach, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 44 864 4490, Fax: +41 44 864 4491
e-mail: h.walker@baumann-plasma.ch 
www.baumann-plasma.ch

Werner Krömmer
Executive Board Member
GTS e. V., Association of Thermal Sprayers
c/o Linde AG, Linde Gas Division Carl-von-Linde-Str. 25, 85716 Unterschleissheim, Germany
Tel: +49 89 31001-5546, Fax: +49 89 31001-5364
e-mail: info@gts-ev.de 
www.gts-ev.de

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