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High commendation for DMTC collaboration in National Innovation Awards

A collaborative project demonstrating sovereign industrial capability gains and delivering sustainment cost reductions for Defence received a High Commendation at the AVALON 2023 National Innovation Awards.

DMTC Limited and its industry and research partners are pairing advances in the use of existing additive manufacturing technologies, such as laser additive deposition, with novel technology developments to successfully repair worn or degraded airframe components.

The team comprises Melbourne-based Rosebank Engineering, research expertise from Swinburne University of Technology and RMIT and scientists from Defence (DSTG) and ANSTO.

The DMTC project has been a great example of the dividends from a willingness to make long-term investment in Australian-made innovation.

Replacement of worn or corroded parts is costly, and often complicated by long lead times for parts that are in high demand globally.

Instead of ordering a new part, this project has demonstrated both the technical pathways and the cost and schedule benefits that can be achieved by allowing for the worn part to be removed from the aircraft, repaired and built back up using 3-D printed titanium, steel and other metals and then re-certified for continued use on the aircraft.

DSTG Computational Materials Leader, Dr Chris Wallbrink said the collaborative project aimed to improve technical capabilities in the supply chain and reduce costs for defence capabilities such as air and sea lift, and air strike.

“The project has created a sovereign capability for Australia by supporting small businesses with experimental and computational material characterization tools,” says Dr Wallbrink.

For companies like lead industry partner Rosebank Engineering, working with DMTC over an enduring period has brought the benefit of carefully-managed innovation and collaborative research to the fore, within a framework that delivers value to all stakeholders.

Applications of the technology on in-service Royal Australian Air Force fleets has potential in providing critical technical data and information to enhance sustainment planning for future fleets.

The AVALON 2023 Innovation Awards are in their tenth anniversary year in 2023. Awards were presented by Dr Shane Canney, Chief of Air and Space Division at DSTG, on behalf of the Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro.

The full media release is available here.