System Comparisons | Combustion Powder | Combustion Wire | Electric Arc Spray | Plasma Spray

System	Combustion Powder	Combustion Wire	Electric Arc	HVOF	Plasma
Energy Source	acetylene/oxygen	acetylene/oxygen	electric arc	propane-propylene/oxygen	plasma "flame" with argon-hydrogen-nitrogen
Materials Best Sprayed	powder metals, alloys, fusible coatings	Wire metals, alloys	wire metals alloys	carbides, metals alloys, fusible coatings	ceramics, bond coat
Secondary materials	ceramics, carbides		cored wires, cored with select powders like carbide		carbides, metals, alloys
Cost	less than $6,000	less than $8,000	less than $25,000	less than $40,000	less than $100,000
Advantages	low cost, easy to use, wide material selection, low operating cost	low cost, easy to use, lower cost materials, low operating cost	easy to use, high spray rates, lowest operating cost	densest coatings, outstanding for carbides	highest energy "flame", outstanding for ceramics
Disadvantage	powders generally cost more than wire, ceramics and carbides less dense than HVOF and plasma	limited to materials made in wire	high initial cost, limited to materials made in wire	high initial cost, high heat, higher training time, noise, high consumption of gases	highest initial cost, most complex process, long training time, noise