Double honour for DMTC project
A DMTC Limited collaboration has been honoured twice, winning both the National Defence Innovation Award and the Innovation Award for Platforms and Propulsion at the prestigious Pacific 2019 Innovation Awards in Sydney. The team includes industry partners MacTaggart Scott Australia and United Surface Technologies along with researchers from Swinburne University of Technology and Defence Science and Technology (DST).
The award was presented by the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP, and accepted by the CEO of DMTC Limited, Dr Mark Hodge, on behalf of the DMTC project team.
The DMTC project has achieved marked improvements in protective surface coatings applied to critical hydraulic components on naval vessels, that are susceptible to bio-fouling and corrosion from exposure to harsh conditions or immersion for long periods of time. Benefits in terms of platform availability and cost reductions for the Navy and the Defence customer include:
- extending availability periods before maintenance,
- protecting and extending the life of expensive and long lead-time components, and
- the option of refurbishment (clean) rather than replacement of inventory.
In addition to reduced cost of ownership, the novel solution also delivers superior results in environmental and occupational health and safety performance compared to current compounds.
“Defence’s input to this project has been significant – this is very welcome and also in keeping with DMTC’s mandate to focus on Defence need in scoping and defining projects,” Dr Hodge said.
“The SEA 5000 Program and the National Shipbuilding Enterprise team in CASG (Defence) should be applauded for their role here. They are not just defining AIC or advocating for innovation, but contracting specifically for it and actually getting out and doing it through DMTC and our partners.
It is the unique combination of the enhanced thermal spray technique and an Australian-developed coating solution specifically designed for naval/marine environs that is the centrepiece of this innovation.”
(l-r) FAS Ships Division in CASG, Sheryl Lutz, Minister for Defence Industry the Hon Melissa Price MP, CEO of DMTC Limited, Dr Mark Hodge and Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro.
This project builds on a decade of research by DMTC and its partners on corrosion prevention and mitigation, involving extensive marine studies and more recently a trial onboard HMAS Canberra.
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