Voltage Increase in Sinplex pro Oerlikon Gun

[DMan]

Hi all

I have observed an increase in Plasma Gun voltage from 78 to 85 volts of late in our Sinplex Pro Oerlikon.
Took all the correctives ( Nozzle/electrode/Neutrode/Anode/Cathode Power hose /New Manifolds/Change of Ar/H2 batches to higer purity ) but things dont work out . We caliberate our Plasma gun every year.

Can someone guide me on any other factors I can look at.

Warm Regards
DMan

[ChrisSuarez]

Have you found your answer?

[DMan]

No...not till date ...

[J!m]

Voltage is a product, but some try to make it an input...

Anyway, if you have no leaks, and all is really running "the same", the answer is the spark gap is longer. Only five volts in that gun should not impact coating quality to any significant degree, unless you are on the very edge/corner of your operating window for the coating you are trying to produce. (And that voltage seems low for a Sinplex but that's another discussion*)

SOOOOOOOOOOOO many shops find a parameter "that works" and then "lock it down" thinking that will provide robustness- it will not. You need to do a proper DoE and determine the limits of operation for an acceptable coating, and then define the middle of this "box" as your actual production parameter. This way, when there is variance (either measured, or not) you will still be within the window of "good" coating production.

Perhaps not the answer you wanted to hear, but important.

*How much history do you have with the lower voltage in the Sinplex? I wonder if you haven't now repaired something that was wrong when the lower voltage was determined to be "good", which increased the voltage. And how are the coating structure and mechanical properties? Meeting specifications? Are you chasing something that really isn't significant for your particular application? (That should also have been determined during the DoE)