<p>This thesis work resulted in a template for how the thermal spray process can be controlled through robot programs. The robots today and their programs need to be replaced, therefore a new structure which can be matched with the new robot systems is needed. The work is limited to only concern structured programming on the new robots on Thermal Spray Centre (TC) with the programming language Rapid. The basic data for the program was retrieved from interviews with concerned personnel at TC, from studies on process parameters for thermal spray and from existing specifications at Volvo Aero Corporation (VAC). The thesis work briefly describes the process thermal spray and the four methods used at VAC. A literature survey on Jackson Structured Programming, Human Machine Interface and structured programming was made and used to compare, evaluate and suggest improvements for the thermal spray work cell. A functional suggestion for a menu system in a robot program for the thermal spray robot was presented. This will be in the robot permanently for uploading of detail programs from a network connected computer. An example of such a detail program was made but without robot movement and communication with the process computer. Testing of the programs has therefore only been made on a robot not suited for thermal spraying. The new detail program shows its parameters directly on the screen so they can be controlled against the operation papers. A programmer\2019s guide to the detail program has been made which is presented in the report.</p>

This thesis work resulted in a template for how the thermal spray process can be controlled through robot programs. The robots today and their programs need to be replaced, therefore a new structure which can be matched with the new robot systems is needed. The work is limited to only concern structured programming on the new robots on Thermal Spray Centre (TC) with the programming language Rapid. The basic data for the program was retrieved from interviews with concerned personnel at TC, from studies on process parameters for thermal spray and from existing specifications at Volvo Aero Corporation (VAC). The thesis work briefly describes the process thermal spray and the four methods used at VAC. A literature survey on Jackson Structured Programming, Human Machine Interface and structured programming was made and used to compare, evaluate and suggest improvements for the thermal spray work cell. A functional suggestion for a menu system in a robot program for the thermal spray robot was presented. This will be in the robot permanently for uploading of detail programs from a network connected computer. An example of such a detail program was made but without robot movement and communication with the process computer. Testing of the programs has therefore only been made on a robot not suited for thermal spraying. The new detail program shows its parameters directly on the screen so they can be controlled against the operation papers. A programmer\2019s guide to the detail program has been made which is presented in the report.

Swerea KIMAB has invested in a new and improved thermal spray technique, High Velocity Air-Fuel (HVAF). This has recently been introduced to the market given that the technical properties, costs and performance of the technique is still not thoroughly investigated and covered. An examination of these areas was therefore necessary to examine appropriate uses for the new technology. The investigation aimed to indicate how the new technology compares with established technologies in some areas in terms of performance and cost but also if there are any entirely new applications that the technology enables. In addition, there is also considerable uncertainty what the market for the new technology looks like today, and what it can be developed into. The market of thermal spraying is limited today. This entails that there is a great interest to investigate the preferences and equirements companies have to consider when choosing this new technology in favour of an ld one. It is also of great interest to investigate what skills and support companies’ requests in order to venture into this new technology. The aim with the work was to answer two research questions What are possible business cases for the HVAF technology from a technical as well as an economical point of view? What initiatives are necessary to get more companies and applications into the thermal spray business? The methods used for the master thesis were empirical studies, benchmarking, interviews, a survey and logical discussions. The report presents an overall knowledge bank for the most commonly used thermal spray technologies, compared with regards to characteristics and cost. As a result of the new features that the HVAF technology offers suitable application areas for the technology were identified through the work, such as high temperature corrosion protection. As a result of the survey the work also identified the general lack of knowledge about thermal spraying as the main obstacle to get more companies into using the technology. / Swerea KIMAB har nyligen investerat i en förbättrad teknik för termisk sprutning, High Velocity Air-Fule (HVAF). HVAF-tekniken har nyligen introducerats på marknaden och de tekniska egenskaperna har därmedinte undersökts grundligt eller jämförts med genskaperna för befintliga termiska spruttekniker. Arbetets syfte var att belysa hur och var den nya HVAFtekniken kan konkurrera med etablerade tekniker på områden i form av prestanda och kostnad. ndersökningen syftade även till att utreda om den nya tekniken kan medföra helt nya applikationsområden. En genomgång av befintliga tekniker var till en början nödvändig för att i slutändan kunna identifiera lämpliga användningsområden för HVAF-tekniken. Det finns en stor osäkerhet kring hur marknaden för HVAF ser ut idag, och hur den kan komma att utvecklas. Själva marknaden för termisk sprutning är i dagsläget begränsad, vilket innebär att det finns ett stort intresse kring att undersöka vilka önskemål och krav företag ställer på HVAF-tekniken för att den skall kunna konkurrera på marknaden. Utöver tidigare nämda delar av arbetet syftade det även till att identifiera vilka kunskaper och vilket stöd företagen önskar vid en eventuell övergång till termisk sprutning generellt. Följande forskningsfrågor har besvarats i arbetet. Vilka nya användningsområden möjliggör HVAF-tekniken för sett ur en teknisk och ekonomisk synvinkel? Vilka initiativ är nödvändiga för att öka användandet av termisk sprutning inom industrin? Empiriska studier, benchmarking, intervjuer och en enkätundersökning var de metoder som användes för arbetet. I rapporten presenteras en övergripande kunskapsbank för de vanligaste termiska sprutteknikerna, vilken omfattar en jämförelse av egenskaper och kostnader. Lämpliga användningsområden för HVAF-tekniken har identifierades och presenteras i rapporten. exempelvis som skydd mot höga temperaturer, korrosion och abrasion. Allmän brist på kunskap om termisk sprutning har identifierats som det främsta hindret mot ökad användning av tekniken i dagsläget.