Patent ID: 8692150

Claim:
A plasma spray gun operable in a first coating mode and a second coating mode, the plasma spray gun comprising: a nozzle including a cathode portion aligned generally along a longitudinal axis of the nozzle, the cathode portion surrounded by an anode portion disposed annularly around the cathode portion, the volume between the cathode portion and the anode portion defining a nozzle chamber having an inlet and an outlet; an upstream powder injector disposed external to the nozzle, the upstream powder injector secured axially adjacent and proximate to the nozzle chamber outlet; a downstream powder injector disposed external to the nozzle, the downstream powder injector secured axially downstream of the upstream powder injector and distal from the nozzle chamber outlet; and a powder selection mechanism adapted to operate at least one of the upstream powder injector and the downstream powder injector; wherein the downstream powder injector is operative in the first coating mode; and the upstream powder injector is operative in the second coating mode.