Coating method, coating system, and coated article

Abstract

A coating method, coating system and coated article are provided. The coating method includes providing a substrate, directing a coating material towards the substrate, the coating material contacting a coating region of the substrate to form a coating deposit, providing an energy source, and directing the energy source towards a first peripheral edge portion and a second peripheral edge portion of the coating region. The directing of the energy source is concurrent with the directing of the coating material. The coating system includes a substrate, a thermal spray nozzle directed towards the substrate, and an energy source directed towards the substrate. The energy source is configured to contact only a first peripheral edge portion and a second peripheral edge portion of a coating region of the substrate. The coated article includes a substrate, and a uniform thermal spray coating mechanically bonded to the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coating method, comprising:
 providing a substrate;   directing a coating material towards the substrate, the coating material contacting a coating region of the substrate to form a coating deposit;   providing an energy source; and   directing the energy source towards a first peripheral edge portion and a second peripheral edge portion of the coating region;   wherein directing of the energy source is concurrent with the directing of the coating material.   
     
     
         2 . The coating method of  claim 1 , wherein directing the coating material towards the substrate further comprises thermal spraying the coating material. 
     
     
         3 . The coating method of  claim 2 , wherein thermal spraying the coating material further comprises cold spraying the coating material. 
     
     
         4 . The coating method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the energy source further comprises:
 selecting the energy source from the group consisting of a focused high energy beam, a defocused high energy beam, and a laser beam;   wherein the laser beam is selected from the group consisting of a diode laser, a CO 2  laser, a fiber laser, and a disc laser.   
     
     
         5 . The coating method of  claim 4 , wherein a laser energy of the laser beam comprises between 0.5 kw and 6 kw. 
     
     
         6 . The coating method of  claim 4 , wherein a beam width of the laser beam comprises between 0.1 mm and 5 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The coating method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing the energy source to increase a density of the coating deposit. 
     
     
         8 . The coating method of  claim 1 , comprising contacting the first peripheral edge portion and the second peripheral edge portion with the energy source. 
     
     
         9 . The coating method of  claim 8 , further comprising heating the coating material without melting the coating material. 
     
     
         10 . The coating method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the energy source further comprises providing a first energy source and a second energy source. 
     
     
         11 . The coating method of  claim 10 , further comprising adjusting a spacing between the first energy source and the second energy source to control a width of the coating deposit. 
     
     
         12 . The coating method of  claim 10 , comprising contacting the first peripheral edge portion with the first energy source and the second peripheral edge portion with the second energy source. 
     
     
         13 . The coating method of  claim 1 , comprising decreasing a velocity of the coating material contacting the coating region as compared to the coating method without the energy source. 
     
     
         14 . A coating system, comprising:
 a substrate;   a thermal spray nozzle directed towards the substrate; and   an energy source directed towards the substrate;   wherein the energy source is configured to contact only a first peripheral edge portion and a second peripheral edge portion of a coating region of the substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The coating system of  claim 14 , wherein the thermal spray nozzle comprises a cold spray nozzle. 
     
     
         16 . The coating system of  claim 14 , wherein the energy source comprises a first energy source and a second energy source. 
     
     
         17 . The coating system of  claim 14 , wherein the first peripheral edge portion and the second peripheral edge portion comprise up to 40% of the coating region. 
     
     
         18 . The coating system of  claim 17 , wherein a first peripheral edge portion size is equal to a second peripheral edge portion size. 
     
     
         19 . A coated article, comprising:
 a substrate; and   a uniform thermal spray coating over the substrate;   wherein the thermal spray coating is bonded mechanically to the substrate at all locations of coverage with an absence of defects.   
     
     
         20 . The coated article of  claim 19 , wherein the uniform thermal spray coating is a uniform cold spray coating.