The company is currently testing the coating, which is applied using a High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) method, on a Boeing F/A-18 Hornet nose-gear leg at its Toronto factory.
HVOF is a form of plasma coating with liquid fuel and oxygen used to accelerate metal powder, such as cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide, to high speed, melting the powder, which forms a dense, strong, low residual stress coating.
The company says that HVOF, while being non-hazardous, can apply surface coatings with greater integrity, whice chrome-plating can leak. It can also give with improved surface finishes. The coating can also be used on propeller hubs, actuators, helicopter rotor head components and jet engine components. The company plans to extend the capability of the method for interior surfaces as well. Harvey says Messier-Dowty plans to have an HVOF facility running by the end of this year. There will then be a gradual switch to this new coating method.
