Method and table assembly for applying coatings to spherical components

摘要

A method of coating spherical components with a coating process in which the spherical components have a surface area includes positioning the spherical components within a containment boundary on a moving member and positioning the moving member within a chamber. The method includes reducing the pressure within the chamber to less than one atmosphere. The method also includes revolving the moving member about a longitudinal axis. The method further includes oscillating the moving member in a direction of the longitudinal axis and commencing the coating process. The oscillating and revolving produce motion of the spherical components within the containment boundary such that an entirety of the surface area of each component is exposed to the coating process.

主权项

1. A table assembly for use in coating spherical components at sub-atmospheric pressures, the table assembly including:
a moving member defining a surface and operable to revolve about a longitudinal axis, wherein the moving member includes a containment boundary on the surface; and an oscillation member configured to impart oscillatory motion to the moving member upon revolving of the moving member; wherein the surface is a first surface, and wherein the moving member further defines a second surface, and further wherein the moving member includes one of a cam element or a rolling element coupled to the second surface, and wherein the oscillation member further includes the other one of the cam element or the rolling element in operational contact with the one of the cam element or the rolling element coupled to the second surface to impart the oscillatory motion to the moving member upon rotation of the oscillation member.