metal spraying: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Technical/Specialised)Technical/Industrial
Quick answer
What does “metal spraying” mean?
A process in which molten or softened metal is propelled by a pressurised gas stream onto a prepared surface to form a coating.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A process in which molten or softened metal is propelled by a pressurised gas stream onto a prepared surface to form a coating.
Can refer to the industrial process itself, the business sector providing the service, or the resulting coated surface. It is used for corrosion protection, wear resistance, dimensional restoration, and aesthetic enhancement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling of related terms follows regional norms (e.g., 'aluminium' (UK) vs. 'aluminum' (US) spraying).
Connotations
Identical technical connotations. The term is universally understood in engineering and manufacturing contexts.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, confined to specific industrial sectors.
Grammar
How to Use “metal spraying” in a Sentence
[Surface] + [BE] + metal-sprayed (with [material])To metal-spray [surface] (with [material])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “metal spraying” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We need to metal-spray the turbine blades with aluminium.
- The workshop specialises in metal-spraying vintage car parts.
American English
- The contractor will metal-spray the bridge supports with zinc.
- They metal-sprayed the worn shaft to restore its original diameter.
adjective
British English
- The metal-sprayed coating showed excellent corrosion resistance.
- We offer metal-spraying services for the aerospace sector.
American English
- The metal-sprayed surface must be cleaned and profiled first.
- He is a certified metal-spraying technician.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
A service offered by engineering firms: 'We outsource all our metal spraying to reduce component wear.'
Academic
A subject of materials science research: 'The study compared the adhesion strength of three metal spraying techniques.'
Everyday
Rarely used; if mentioned, it's in DIY or restoration contexts: 'The old gate was restored using metal spraying.'
Technical
The precise industrial process: 'Post-machining, the component undergoes metal spraying with a tungsten carbide blend.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metal spraying”
- Misspelling as 'metal sprayring' or 'metalspraying' (should be two words or hyphenated as a verb).
- Using 'metal spray' as an uncountable noun for the process (it's usually 'metal spraying' for the process, 'metal spray' for the equipment/material).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Welding melts the base material to fuse parts together. Metal spraying melts only the coating material, which bonds mechanically to the prepared surface without significantly heating the base part.
Many metals, alloys, and cermets (ceramic-metal composites), such as zinc, aluminium, steel, bronze, tungsten carbide, and molybdenum.
Yes, with proper surface preparation (like grit blasting), materials like plastics, ceramics, and composites can be coated using metal spraying techniques.
Key advantages include the ability to coat heat-sensitive substrates (minimal heat input), apply very thick coatings, coat large or fixed structures on-site, and combine materials not possible with other processes.
A process in which molten or softened metal is propelled by a pressurised gas stream onto a prepared surface to form a coating.
Metal spraying is usually technical/industrial in register.
Metal spraying: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɛtl ˌspreɪ.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛt̬əl ˌspreɪ.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of SPRAYing a car with paint, but instead of paint, it's molten METAL being SPRAYed on.
Conceptual Metaphor
APPLYING A PROTECTIVE SKIN (The surface is given a new, tougher 'skin' to protect it).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of most industrial metal spraying?