Abstract: A method and coating system are provided that use a temperature controlled gas flow to smooth a surface of a ceramic, like a thermal barrier coating (TBC). Thermal spray coating unit coats a ceramic on a surface. The thermal spray coating unit creates a flow of ceramic material towards the surface. A layer of at least partially molten ceramic material on the surface is smoothed by transmitting a flow of temperature controlled gas across the at least partially molten ceramic material on the surface after the thermal spray coating of the ceramic on the surface. The solidified ceramic has a smoother surface that requires much less polishing to attain a desired surface roughness.

Abstract: A method and coating system are provided that use a temperature controlled gas flow to smooth a surface of a ceramic, like a thermal barrier coating (TBC). Thermal spray coating unit coats a ceramic on a surface. The thermal spray coating unit creates a flow of ceramic material towards the surface. A layer of at least partially molten ceramic material on the surface is smoothed by transmitting a flow of temperature controlled gas across the at least partially molten ceramic material on the surface after the thermal spray coating of the ceramic on the surface. The solidified ceramic has a smoother surface that requires much less polishing to attain a desired surface roughness.

Abstract: A system according to various embodiments can include: a coating system configured to apply a thermal coating material to a component, the component having a plurality of cooling holes; an airflow system coupled with the coating system, the airflow system configured to force air through the component; and a control system coupled with the airflow system and the coating system, the control system configured to: detect coating instructions for the coating system, the coating instructions instructing the coating system to apply the thermal coating material to a subset of the plurality of cooling holes; and instruct the airflow system to force air through the subset of the plurality of cooling holes during application of the thermal coating material to the component in response to detecting the coating instructions.

Abstract: A method of coating a component using a robotic spray system is provided. The robotic spray system includes a scanning apparatus operable to measure and store surface characteristics before and after coating; a robotic arm operable to move the robotic spray system relative to a surface of a component, the component including one or more reference features which remains uncoated during the coating; a spray nozzle operable to deposit a sprayed coating onto the surface; and a device driver module including circuitry configured to operate the scanning apparatus, the robotic arm, and the spray nozzle.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods of robot calibration using imaging data. A mounting interface attaches to the sensor module to the robot system. A robot includes at least one positioning member, at least one joint connected to the at least one positioning member, at least one actuator for moving the at least one positioning member around the at least one joint, and at least one robot reference mark on the at least one positioning member. The operating environment includes at least three environment reference marks in fixed positions relative to the robot. A camera captures a calibration image and an actual position of the robot is determined based on the robot reference mark relative to the environment reference marks to determine a calibration offset between a reference position and the actual position using the calibration image.

Abstract: A method of coating a component using a robotic spray system is provided. The robotic spray system includes a scanning apparatus operable to measure and store surface characteristics before and after coating; a robotic arm operable to move the robotic spray system relative to a surface of a component, the component including one or more reference features which remains uncoated during the coating; a spray nozzle operable to deposit a sprayed coating onto the surface; and a device driver module including circuitry configured to operate the scanning apparatus, the robotic arm, and the spray nozzle.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods of robot calibration using imaging data. A mounting interface attaches to the sensor module to the robot system. A robot includes at least one positioning member, at least one joint connected to the at least one positioning member, at least one actuator for moving the at least one positioning member around the at least one joint, and at least one robot reference mark on the at least one positioning member. The operating environment includes at least three environment reference marks in fixed positions relative to the robot. A camera captures a calibration image and an actual position of the robot is determined based on the robot reference mark relative to the environment reference marks to determine a calibration offset between a reference position and the actual position using the calibration image.

Abstract: A system according to various embodiments can include: a coating system configured to apply a thermal coating material to a component, the component having a plurality of cooling holes; an airflow system coupled with the coating system, the airflow system configured to force air through the component; and a control system coupled with the airflow system and the coating system, the control system configured to: detect coating instructions for the coating system, the coating instructions instructing the coating system to apply the thermal coating material to a subset of the plurality of cooling holes; and instruct the airflow system to force air through the subset of the plurality of cooling holes during application of the thermal coating material to the component in response to detecting the coating instructions.

Abstract: A process for applying a vertically cracked ceramic thermal barrier coating to a machine component includes a.) applying a plurality of layers of the ceramic thermal barrier coating on the component, utilizing a nozzle at a first distance from the component; b.) applying an additional sacrificial outer layer of the ceramic thermal barrier coating of the same chemical composition as the plurality of layers on the component, with the nozzle at a second distance from the component, greater than the first distance; and c) removing at least some of the outer layers to achieve thickness and surface roughness specifications.

Abstract: A process for applying a thermal barrier coating to a machine component including: