Inovati (Santa Barbara, CA, USA) has won an R&D 100 award for 2002 from R&D Magazine for the development of equipment and processes for its low-temperature metal deposition technique, Kinetic Metallization (KM). KM is capable of depositing fully dense, adherent coatings of a variety of metals on standard metal surfaces without costly surface preparation. Coatings of pure copper, stainless steel, nickel, chromium, aluminum, cobalt, titanium, niobium, and other metals, as well as alloys based on these metals are possible on such surfaces as steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, brass, etc. Additionally, braze powders (e.g., silver, copper, aluminum or nickel-based) can be sprayed out onto parts to be joined and coatings have also been demonstrated on ceramic substrates. The feedstock material for KM is powder. The cost of KM is comparable to competitive processes. Applications include the preparing of corrosion and/or wear-resistant surfaces for parts, machinery and equipment. Electrically conductive and decorative coatings are also deliverable.
