CORROSION and the accompanying cost implications present a huge headache for coastal-based industries and the marine industry is certainly no exception.
That’s according to Surcotec’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Ian Walsh Walsh, who added that many components installed on ships such as power plants, pumping systems and environment control systems are designed for optimum performance in a land-based environment.
“The harsh environment experienced at sea often puts these systems outside their designed capabilities, reducing lifespan.”
He said the application of specialised coatings presents an extremely cost-effective solution; by providing a protective barrier to the corrosive attack these coatings help to extend the lifespan of equipment, parts and components.
Surcotec, in partnership with Thermaspray, offers a range of high quality thermal spray coating solutions that serve as corrosion preventative measures, providing long-term protection that extend equipment lifespan and reduce total life cost.
The range of coating technologies applied by Surcotec to protect parts against corrosion include thermal spraying, Plasma, HVOF (High Velocity Oxy-Fuel) and Arc Wire Spraying.
Thermal spray coating technology is an effective corrosion preventative measure that provides long-term protection against corrosion on coastal infrastructures such as port facilities, bridges, pipelines, and highways.
Plasma offers a full range of ceramic coatings including hard wearing, insulation type and chemical attack-preventative coatings, which are used extensively as a corrosion barrier. HVOF applications are used on critical valve and wear parts while arc sprayed coatings are recommended as the optimum repair solution for worn parts.
While these coatings are effectively applied by Surcotec to protect new parts Walsh said that most of the work comprises repairs to worn components such as shafts, impellers, volutes (pumps), spindles, gates, balls, casings and seats (valves), cylinder heads, pistons, water jackets, governor parts, fuel pump, turbo parts (engines), tail shafts, bow thruster parts (propulsion) as well as hydraulic motors and rods.