Two consumable wires at opposite DC polarity feed toward each other until an arc strikes between their tips, and a jet of compressed air shears off the molten metal and blows it onto the part. It offers the highest deposition rates and lowest cost per pound of the common processes, but only for conductive wires such as zinc, aluminum, zinc-aluminum, stainless, bronze and nickel-aluminum. Coatings carry more oxide and porosity than HVOF.
Twin-wire arc the bridge girders with 85/15 zinc-aluminum, two guns and a lift, we'll be done Thursday.
Also heard as
- arc spray
- electric arc spray
- wire arc
- arc
Related terms
TSA
Thermally sprayed aluminum: arc- or flame-sprayed aluminum that protects steel from corrosion.
Cored wire
A metal sheath filled with powder, used in arc spray to spray alloys and carbides not made as solid wire.
Metallizing
Shop and field name for thermal spraying, especially zinc and aluminum sprayed on steel for corrosion.
Oxides
Thin oxide films formed on metal particles in flight, showing as dark stringers between splats.