RUAG Australia’s patent application identifies the use of the additive metal technology, Supersonic Particle Deposition (SPD), as a fully certifiable alternative for safe and reliable repairs. According to the patent, SPD is an ideal method for rapidly repairing corroded, worn and damaged components as opposed to repair by traditional methods or outright component replacement. Potential cost and time savings make this solution particularly relevant for the repair of expensive components and for components with long repair/replacement lead times.
“The awarding of this patent underscores our commitment to research and development and the application of emerging additive technologies to offer reliable and accessible service for defence and commercial aviation customers,” states Neil Matthews, Senior Manager Additive Technologies, RUAG Australia.
“Our ability to provide unique repair solutions that enable our customers to be operationally ready, faster, is essential to our in-country mission. Patent approvals ensure these capabilities for all our customers. It is a fantastic achievement for Neil and for RUAG Australia as a whole,” states Terry Miles, General Manager, RUAG Australia.
Australian (No. 2012201876), European (No. 2644510), USA (No. 10,093,434 B2) and Canadian (No.2772838) patents for “Methods for Treating Aircraft Structures” were awarded in May 2018, October 2018, November 2018 and December 2019, respectively. RUAG has also submitted an application for another patent featuring the use of SPD technology, “Methods for Restoring an Aircraft Frame Element”, which has been awarded by Europe in January 2019 and is currently under review in Australia and the USA.
RUAG Australia is a major industry research center for the development and application of Powder Deposition Technologies focusing on both SPD, sometimes referred to as Cold Spray, and Laser Assisted Deposition (LAD) for defense applications. These technologies offer a number of exciting and cost-effective outcomes, particularly in the areas of geometry restoration and corrosion protection. In addition, these technologies enable the restoration of corroded / damaged metallic components / structures to an acceptable level of structural integrity and functionality. RUAG Australia maintains and operates a fixed and mobile SPD capability as well as a fixed LAD capability.
