Advances in laser additive deposition
Defence and DMTC industry partner RUAG Australia have successfully completed a program to develop and demonstrate laser additive deposition (LAD) as a technology for repairing damaged high strength steel aircraft components.
Defence has made substantial investment in developing the in-country LAD repair capability, RUAG’s most recent effort for rectifying the effects that impact, wear and corrosion have on Defence equipment.
LAD is an additive material technology that rebuilds damaged metal surfaces. A high power laser beam creates a melt pool in the surface. Metal particles are injected into the melt pool, and fuse with the surface as the surface cools and solidifies. Overlapping passes build a 3D deposition structure, which can then be machined to the required shape. LAD is applicable to the repair of high strength metal components and structures.
RUAG Australia is a major industry research centre for the development and application of powder deposition technologies focusing on both supersonic particle deposition (SPD), sometimes referred to as cold spray, and LAD for defence applications.
Khan Sharp, research leader for aerospace materials technologies, Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), explained to Defence Connect that “Defence and RUAG recognise the important contributions made by the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, Defence Aviation Safety Authority, DMTC, DST Group, Monash University, Swinburne University and RMIT University,” Sharp added.
The Defence Connect article is available here.
Posted by Harry Baxter on March 6th, 2019 Tagged: collaboration, DMTC, Innovation Hub