Ceramic materials can be used due to their high hardness and chemical stability as both the wear and corrosion resistant coatings. Their deposition on moulds for manufacturing of objects from refractory and highly abrasive materials is challenging, because they are traditionally made from hard-to-blast case-hardened tool steels with hardness exceeding 60 HRC. The pressing process imposes further stringent requirements on the coating microstructure; especially in respect to its homogeneity, cohesion and wear resistance. Considering results of laboratory analyses of residual stresses and roughness of blasted surfaces, mould plates from low-carbon C45 steel were sprayed with five different ceramic materials by water stabilized plasma gun. The testing of the moulds with plasma coatings was performed on-site in a factory under standard pressing conditions.
Science Journal 