In Russia, parts of gas turbine engines will now be repaired without expensive plasma installations and complex electrical infrastructure. The Moscow company "Horizon Coatings" has developed a flexible composite cord for gas-flame spraying of sealing coatings on parts of power plants.
The new technology changes the very principle of repairing aviation units. Instead of powder, which requires energy-intensive equipment, engineers proposed using a flexible cord with a filled core.
It is fed directly into the gas-flame burner, where the shell completely burns out, and the working mixture forms a coating. This simplifies logistics, speeds up maintenance, and allows you to work even in the field.
The core consists of 82–85% of granulated aluminum boron nitride charge, and 15–18% is occupied by an organic binder. When heated to 400 °C, the binder evaporates without residue, and the alloy particles are deposited on the surface of the part. The coating withstands temperatures up to 450 °C and demonstrates adhesion of at least 3.0 MPa without delamination.
Engineers selected a particle size distribution of 50–300 μm and a cord diameter of 2–4 mm. This configuration ensures stable feeding and forms a fibrous layer structure. The coating wears evenly, absorbs the load and reduces wear on the compressor blades.
The new technology will reduce repair costs, increase the mobility of service teams and open up the possibility of servicing engines directly at airfields.