Abstract This study examines the melting characteristics of wire feedstock used in arc and flame spray processes and how they relate to coating quality. A high-speed CCD camera reveals important details in how different types of wire melt away during spraying. Solid and tube cored wires, for example, melt off in a much more continuous manner than grooved wires during high-velocity combustion spraying. During arc spraying, however, no significant differences are observed. The paper also analyzes various coating microstructures and explains how they correlate with the melt off behavior of different wire designs. Paper includes a German-language abstract.