Abstract: An electrode (10) is provided for electrochemical reduction of a workpiece (20) that is to be treated. The electrode (10) has a predefined contour and contains an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material of the predefined contour forms an electrode core (12). The outside of the electrode core (12) is covered with an insulation layer (13). The insulation layer (13) is porous and is made of an electrically non-conductive material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for plasma welding. A free microwave-induced plasma jet is generated by the following steps. Microwaves are generated in a high-frequency microwave source. The microwaves are guided in a wave guide. A process gas is introduced at a pressure of p?1 bar into a microwave-transparent tube, which comprises a gas inlet opening and a gas outlet opening, the process gas being introduced through the gas inlet opening into the microwave-transparent tube in such a way that it has a tangential flow component. A plasma is generated in the microwave-transparent tube by electrodeless ignition of the process gas. The plasma jet is produced by the introduction of the plasma into a working space through a metallic expansion nozzle arranged at the gas outlet opening of the tube.

Abstract: In a process for laser-plasma hybrid welding, to weld work pieces, a laser beam and a plasma jet are brought together in the process region close to the work piece. A free microwave-induced plasma jet is generated by the following process. Microwaves are generated in a high-frequency microwave source, and the microwaves are guided in a hollow waveguide. A process gas is introduced into a microwave-transparent tube, which includes a gas inlet opening and a gas outlet opening, at a pressure p?1 bar. The process gas is introduced into the microwave-transparent tube through the gas inlet opening in such a manner that it has a tangential flow component. A plasma is generated in the microwave-transparent tube by electrode-free ignition of the process gas, and a plasma jet is generated by introduction of the plasma into the working space through a metallic nozzle arranged at the gas outlet opening of the tube.

Abstract: A method is provided for purifying gases, particularly gases contaminated by environmentally harmful substances, by way of plasma discharge. The gas to be purified is guided through a thermal plasma, which is generated by electrodeless ignition of a process gas, so that, by way of the thermal plasma, the harmful substances contained in the gas to be purified are converted to environmentally neutral, fully oxidized substances.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for laser-plasma hybrid welding, in which, to weld work pieces, a laser beam (10) and a plasma jet (11) are brought together in the process region close to the work piece.

Abstract: A method for measuring characteristic properties of a plasma beam in a thermal spraying process, wherein the spraying materials are fed into the plasma (1) and the luminous radiation emitted by the plasma (1) is reproduced on optical fibers (2). The luminous radiation is reproduced on the one end (2a) of the optical fibers (2) arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array (6). Spectral analysis of the luminous radiation transmitted in the optical fiber (2) is accomplished with a spectrometer (3) arranged at the other end (2b) of an optical fiber (2). The frequency spectrums are analyzed in a processor (5) to determine the contemporaneous condition of the spraying process.

Abstract: A wear-resistant layer is applied to a surface, which is to be protected, of a component which is subjected to mechanical and/or fluidic loads and substantially consists of amorphous or amorphous-nanocrystalline metals. The layer for protecting against abrasive or erosive wear substantially consists of an Ni—W-base alloy or substantially consists of an alloy based on Cu—Al—Ti(or —Ta or —Zr) or Pd—Cu—Si or Pt—Al—Si or Ta—Si—N, or substantially consists of an alloy of Al, at least one rare earth and a transition metal, such as Cu or Ni or Co.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma welding process by means of a free microwave-induced plasma jet, which is generated by means of the following process steps:

Abstract: A process and a device for the pulsed plasma strengthening of a metallic component, in which the surface to be strengthened is not acted on in a merely punctiform manner and the roughness of the surfaces is not adversely effected, comprising the steps of: providing a metallic component (1, 8, 18), coating a surface section (7, 7′) of the metallic component (1, 8, 18) with a sublimable material (22), applying a pulsed plasma jet (20) to the surface section (7, 7′) in such a way that the material is sublimed and as a result a shock wave is introduced into the component (1, 8, 18) in order to form residual compressive stresses in a region which extends from the surface section (7, 7′) into the component (1, 8, 18).

Abstract: A method for the selective removal of one or more layers from a power unit component, e.g., a turbine blade of a heavy-duty turbine, using high-energy radiation of such a wavelength that the supplied energy is so strongly absorbed by the layer to be removed in each case that the removal threshold of the specific material of the layer to be removed is exceeded, while this removal threshold is not reached in the subsurface to be preserved, a spectrometer connected to a control unit via a light-conducting fiber cable such that the method-specific characteristic values are determinable by spectroscopic methods during the removal of the respective layer and are used for the self-regulating process limitation.

Abstract: A method for plasma jet welding by means of a free radio frequency-induced plasma beam wherein, the rf-induced plasma beam is generated by a procedure involving a second process gas into a tube so that it has a tangential flow component and the introduction of the plasma through a metal expansion jet at the outlet.

Abstract: A method for plasma jet welding by means of a free radio frequency-induced plasma beam wherein, the rf-induced plasma beam is generated by a procedure involving a second process gas into a tube so that it has a tangential flow component and the introduction of the plasma through a metal expansion jet at the outlet.

Abstract: A method for measuring characteristic properties of a plasma beam in a thermal spraying process, wherein the spraying materials are fed into the plasma (1) and the luminous radiation emitted by the plasma (1) is reproduced on optical fibers (2). The luminous radiation is reproduced on the one end (2a) of the optical fibers (2) arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array (6). Spectral analysis of the luminous radiation transmitted in the optical fiber (2) is accomplished with a spectrometer (3) arranged at the other end (2b) of an optical fiber (2). The frequency spectrums are analyzed in a processor (5) to determine the contemporaneous condition of the spraying process.

Abstract: In a process for coating silicon carbide fibers with a titanium-based alloy by plasma spraying, the titanium-based alloy is sprayed onto the silicon carbide fibers by way of an electrode-free high-pressure plasma. The high-pressure plasma is generated in a microwave- or radiowave-transparent working tube with a gas inlet opening and a gas outlet opening by ignition of a process gas which has been introduced into the working tube at a pressure p≧1 bar. The plasma is maintained by absorption of microwaves or radiowaves and is passed into the working space as a plasma jet through a nozzle arranged at the gas outlet opening of the working tube.

Abstract: A ceramic heat insulation layer applied to a metal structural part or to an intermediate adherent layer thereon, has the surfaces of its inner, open pore structure coated with a passivating ceramic material or a metal deposition material for improving the properties of the heat insulation layer.

Abstract: A ceramic heat insulation layer applied to a metal structural part or to an intermediate adherent layer thereon, has the surfaces of its inner, open pore structure coated with a passivating ceramic material or a metal deposition material for improving the properties of the heat insulation layer.

Abstract: A process for testing the tolerances of bores made by laser pulses records a matrix image of the bore region during each laser pulse and evaluates the matrix image to determine the average bore diameter. Compliance with the required tolerances can thereby be achieved during the boring operation. The evaluation of the matrix image is made by optically forming a half tone, dot matrix, mosaic image of the bore and its surrounding region, adding gray scale values of the dots in the columns and rows and differentiating the column and row totals to produce spaced maxima for the rows and columns. The distance between the spaced maxima in the rows and columns represents the diameter of the bore in the direction of the rows and columns respectively.