FACT Plasma Coatings are Flexible!
Many of our customers ask us if our plasma coatings technology is rigid or flexible once applied to a customer’s product. This is a very valid question and concern many manufacturers will have as parts often experience some level of deflection during production processes. There are a lot of variables that can go into this answer, but essentially the answer is yes plasma coatings are flexible.
Thermal Spray Metallic Coatings:
All of the thermal spray metallic coatings are going to be flexible regardless of the type of thermal spray process because:
- They are very thin, typically 3-5 mils in thickness.
- They have high bond strength to the substrate.
- Metals are malleable and ductile, which means they can be bent without cracking.
Ceramic Coatings:
Ceramic coatings are also thin and well bonded and somewhat flexible, but ceramic is brittle (not malleable or ductile) which means it cannot be bent very far before it cracks. When ceramic coatings crack from flexing too far it is considered a micro-crack. The micro-crack will not cause the ceramic coating to lose its bond (flake, chip) from the substrate.
Polymer Topcoats:
The polymer topcoats in all cases are very flexible being either in the Teflon or silicone rubber families.
Plasma Coatings PC-415 sample sprayed on a sheet of metal
flexing with no signs of the coating flaking off or cracking:
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