Thermal Barrier Coating — Ceramic Thermal Spray

Ceramic thermal spray coatings are applied to components exposed to extreme heat, friction, and abrasion, such as wire drawing blocks, capstans, tuner rolls, sheaves, and guide devices. The ceramic layer creates a hard, thermally insulating surface that extends component life and maintains dimensional accuracy under continuous operational stress.

Plasma spray ceramic coatings, such as PK-1500 Chrome Oxide, use extremely high temperatures to deposit ceramic particles for maximum hardness and wear resistance, ideal for wire drawing blocks. HVOF coatings apply tungsten carbide matrix materials at supersonic speeds exceeding Mach 2, producing dense coatings with excellent bond strength for heavy-duty applications like fracking plungers.

Yes. Parkway-Kew's proprietary Restore & Grind process fills and blends the worn drawline area of a coated component, allowing 5 to 7 cost-effective repairs before a full recoating is needed. This significantly reduces replacement costs and downtime compared to purchasing new components.

Industries with high-wear, high-friction operations benefit most, including wire mills, oil and gas fracking operations, shipping terminals, and heavy equipment manufacturing. Ceramic thermal spray coatings extend the service life of critical rotating and sliding components subjected to continuous mechanical and thermal stress.

Ceramic thermal spray coatings significantly outlast uncoated or standard-coated components because they resist wear, corrosion, and heat-related degradation. For example, urethane and ceramic coated festoon wheels have demonstrated lifespans 2 to 3 years longer than OEM parts, reducing replacement frequency and total cost of ownership.

The right coating depends on wire material and speed. PK-1500 Chrome Oxide plasma ceramic offers the highest wear resistance, while PK-920, PK-675, PK-700, and PK-750 tungsten carbide HVOF coatings suit ferrous, copper, and aluminum wire drawing. Our team can recommend the best option based on your operating conditions.