Abstract
Electric arc metallization (EAM) is one of the most effective and widely used thermal spraying methods, inwhich a protective coating is formed by melting a metal wire with an electric arc and atomising the moltenmaterial with a stream of compressed air. This technology is characterised by high productivity, adjustablelayer thickness, and the versatility of applicable materials. This study presents a comparative analysis of protectivecoatings applied to 65G steel using electric arc metallization with both powder and cast wires made of30KhGSA and 51KhFA alloys. The microstructure of the coatings was examined using a scanning electronmicroscope, and the elemental composition was determined using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Thethickness and porosity of the coating were evaluated using an optical microscope. Microhardness was measuredusing Vickers, and surface roughness was evaluated using contact profilometry. Microstructural andEDS analyses revealed that coatings produced with cored wires exhibit a more homogeneous distribution ofalloying elements, resulting in improved microhardness, reduced porosity. In contrast, coatings obtained withcast wires showed structural inhomogeneity, leading to increased porosity and decreased mechanical performance.Surface roughness measurements indicated that cored wire coatings had higher roughness values, particularlyfor 51KhFA. The findings analyzed that powder (cored) wire offers superior coating quality.