Adapting the HVOF Process for the Repair of Twin-Roll-Caster Shells

Roller shells of twin-roll-caster (TRC) are subjected to wear and tear due to their usage in harsh casting and forming conditions. Therefore, their durability is significantly shortened by the need to refinish the surface to reinstate suitable surface parameters for rolling and casting thin aluminium or other metal strips. To extend the lifetime of the rollers, a solution to repair the surface has to be found. Due to the constraints in the TRC process, most surface repair processes are not suitable, too complex (multistage heat treatment) or too expensive. Hence, high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) is a viable solution for applying a repair surface onto worn-down rollers, as this process is well-known and understood, already established in the industry, and potentially possible to integrate into the TRC process environment without disassembling the roller from the machine.