Arrangement and process for thermal spray coating vehicle components with solid lubricants

An arrangement for coating a vehicle component comprising:

• a) a thermal spray device comprising a process gas inlet that receives a process gas, a thermal-coating composition inlet that receives a thermal coating composition, and a first outlet orifice for the process gas and also for the thermal coating composition;
• b) the thermal spray device having a spray direction along a spray line corresponding to a central axis of a spray plume from the first outlet orifice, the spray line being aligned with a central axis line passing through a center of the first outlet orifice of the thermal spray device;
• c) a solid lubricant injection device comprising a fluidized solid lubricant inlet and a second outlet orifice from the solid lubricant injection device, the solid lubricant injection device having an injection direction along an injection line corresponding to a central axis of an injection plume from the second outlet orifice, the injection line being aligned with a central axis line of the solid lubricant injection device;
• and
• d) a vehicle component to be coated, having a surface arranged at a distance from the first outlet orifice of the thermal spray device along the spray line;
• e) wherein the solid lubricant injection device is positioned such that the injection line intersects the spray line at an intersection point, which is intermediate the first outlet orifice of the thermal spray device and the surface of the component to be coated, and
• wherein the solid lubricant injection device is translatable and rotatable relative to the thermal spray device to permit repositioning of the intersection point.