Patent ID: 8581138

Claim:
A method of thermally depositing metal onto a target surface using a plasma transferred wire arc thermal spray apparatus that rotates around a central axis of rotation, wherein the apparatus comprises a cathode, a nozzle generally surrounding a free end of said cathode in spaced relation having a constricted orifice opposite said cathode free end, a source of plasma gas that is directed into said nozzle surrounding said cathode and exiting said constricted nozzle orifice, and a wire feed directing a free end of a consumable wire, having a central axis, to a position for establishing and maintaining a plasma arc and melting the free end of the consumable wire, wherein the consumable wire has an electrical potential opposite of the cathode, the method comprising the steps of: offsetting the central axis of the consumable wire with respect to an axial centerline of the constricting orifice by at least one of the following: offsetting the central axis of the consumable wire with respect to the central axis of rotation; and offsetting the axial centerline of the constricting orifice with respect to the central axis of rotation; and establishing and operating a plasma transferred wire arc between the cathode and a free end of the consumable wire; and melting and atomizing a continually fed free end of the consumable wire into molten metal particles and projecting the particles onto said target surface.