Improving performance and service life of Rail vehicles components by twin wire arc spraying

The components of rail vehicles are strained by a number of sources, whether operational, natural, or effects caused by passengers. For protection against these influences, the number of types of surface protection is frequently used. The project called “Increasing of resistance of rail vehicles components by the means of modern thermal spraying technologies” deals with improving the performance and service life of rail vehicle components by thermal spraying. In the project, more than ten components are selected for coating by different material sprayed by different methods of thermal spraying. This paper is focused on coating made by Twin Wire Arc Spraying. Three materials of coating sprayed by TWAS were tested and their mechanical properties were evaluated in this paper. These materials are pure molybdenum, Fe13Cr, and Zn15Al. The Ball on Flat, Dry Sand/Rubber wheel Test, and Erosion Wear Resistance Test were done. The molybdenum coating showed very good sliding properties. This material can find its application for rolling components such as rollers, or rollers carriers. The Fe13Cr and Zn15Al coatings showed a very good erosion resistance. The Zn15Al had even a better erosion resistance than Fe13Cr. Both of these materials can be used, where this type of wear resistance is required, for example for walkable footplates. The Fe13Cr had also a very good abrasive resistance in contrast with Zn15Al, which can’t be recommended for application where abrasion resistance is required. The spraying of real components is also shortly presented in this paper.