Patent ID: 7323061

Claim:
A thermal spray instrument ( 10 ) having a thermal spray torch ( 12 ), the torch ( 12 ) having a geometrical axis ( 14 ), the torch ( 12 ) being capable of spraying a jet ( 16 ) along its geometrical axis ( 14 ), the jet ( 16 ) consisting of a gas flow at elevated temperature loaded with molten particles of the material to be sprayed, the instrument ( 10 ) having a control unit ( 30 ) supplying the torch ( 12 ) with ingredients by applying the supply parameters ( 122 ) which are communicated to said control unit, instrument ( 10 ) having a computer ( 100 ) communicating the supply parameters ( 122 ) to the control unit ( 30 ) by means of a unit-computer connection ( 120 ), the instrument ( 10 ) having sensors ( 52 ) capable of monitoring the movements of the torch ( 12 ), the sensors ( 52 ) being capable of transmitting information ( 112 , 114 ) about the operation of the torch ( 12 ) to the computer ( 100 ), this transmission being carried out by means of the sensors-computer connection ( 100 ), characterized in that: a. the computer ( 100 ) has software for realtime analysis of the information ( 112 , 114 ), in order to repetitively deduce therefrom a measurement of at least one spray parameter to determine when said measurement has stabilized, in order to calculate a new supply parameter value ( 122 ) and transmit said new supply parameter value to the control unit ( 30 ) when the measured value of the spray parameter is outside a preestablished acceptable range of values specific to the spray parameter being processed, wherein said new value of the supply parameter is suitable for returning the spray parameter to its acceptable range, b. the sensors ( 52 ) have a camera ( 54 ) capable of periodically providing the computer ( 100 ) with the information ( 112 , 114 ) in the form of digital images ( 112 ) of the jet ( 16 ) as seen in profile over a part of its length, and c. the spray parameter measured from the images ( 112 ) is the maximum luminance I max of the jet ( 16 ).