Parametric Study of Automated Electrospark Deposition for Ni-Based Superalloys

Conventional electrospark deposition (ESD) processes used in industry are well suited to the coating and repair of small areas for the purpose of hardfacing, corrosion resistance, or dimensional restoration. Although significant advances have been made in the range of materials that can be processed, the comparatively slow deposition rate limits the potential applications of a traditional manually operated ESD process. In this study, an automated ESD system was demonstrated for the application of Ni-based superalloy (Inconel 718) coatings on Ni- and Fe-based substrates. A preliminary study was used to determine the influence of process parameters on an automated system, with capacitance, voltage, electrode force, and electrode travel speed parameters chosen to provide higher deposition rates while maintaining high deposition quality. A comparison of Inconel 718 and 316L stainless steel substrates found that the influence of substrate composition on coating hardness and coating composition was limited to the first 40um. These results pave the way for ESD of larger-area coatings and longer-duration repairs without the need for human operators.