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RUAG Australia has been awarded full patent rights in Australia, Europe and the US for the use of supersonic particle deposition (SPD) as an alternative aircraft component repair technology.
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RUAG Australia’s patent application identifies the use of the SPD additive metal technology 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.
Neil Matthews, senior manager of advanced technology and engineering solutions, RUAG Australia, welcomed news of the announcement, saying, “The awarding of this patent underscores our commitment to research and development and the application of emerging technologies to offer reliable and accessible service for commercial aviation customers.”
Australian, European and US patents for “Methods for Treating Aircraft Structures” were awarded in May, October and November 2018, respectively. RUAG has also submitted an application for another patent featuring the use of SPD technology, “Methods for Restoring an Aircraft Frame Element”, which is currently under review.
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.
RUAG MRO International is an independent supplier, support provider and integrator of systems and components for civil and military aviation worldwide. It also develops and supports simulation and training systems and solutions for international trained security forces.
RUAG develops and markets internationally sought-after technology applications in the fields of aerospace and defence for use on land, in the air and in space. Fifty-six per cent of RUAG’s products and services are destined for the civil market and 44 per cent for the military market. The group is headquartered in Bern (Switzerland). It has production sites in Switzerland and in 15 other countries in Europe, the USA and Asia Pacific.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
