The Simulation of Point Contact Stress State for APS Coatings

Surface engineering has been conquered in recent decades by the versatility of the layers produced by thermal spraying, both in terms of spraying methods, of the materials types and their applications. In some cases, the coatings can be subjected during operation to rolling contact fatigue, with the main wear factors: thermal spray coatings structure and state of stress and strain in the contact area. In this paper was studied how three types of coatings deposited by APS (Atmospheric Plasma Spray) behaved at the contact fatigue tests. Subsequently they were carried out simulation of pressures and von Mises stresses distribution. It has been observed that the presence of asperities on the surface causes the development of local micro-contacts and therefore high values of pressure and local stresses in the vicinity of the surface.