A team of researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia is using the “green laser pointer” technology to manufacture and repair steel and titanium parts for defense force aircraft in a two-year project.
The RMIT team is led by Professor Milan Brandt and works with Australia’s RUAG and the Innovation Manufacturing Cooperation Research Center (IMCRC).
The technology works by feeding metal powder into a laser beam that is scanned across the surface to add new material in a precise mesh structure. It can be used to 3D print parts from scratch or to repair existing parts with stronger parts than the original parts.
“This is basically a very high-tech green laser pointer welding process, we manufacture or rebuild metal parts layer by layer,” explains Brandt, who said the concept has been proven and the prospects for its successful development are very positive.
Neil Matthews, director of research and technology at RUAG Australia, said that through on-site repairs and production of parts, the technology can revolutionize the concept of warehousing and transportation in defense and other industries. Currently, replacement parts often need to be shipped from local or overseas storage and suppliers.
Matthews said: “Rather than waiting for spare parts to arrive from the warehouse, an effective solution will be on site now.” “For the defense force, this means less maintenance downtime and a sharp increase in aircraft availability and readiness.”
The technology can be used for existing aircraft (such as the Air Force F/A-18 Hornet and the F/A-18F/G Super Hornet and the Roaring Fleet) as well as the new fifth-generation F-35 fleet.
According to RMIT, locally printed parts may save on maintenance and spare parts procurement, scrap metal management, warehousing and shipping costs.
An independent assessment commissioned by BAE Systems estimates that the Australian Air Force replaces damaged aircraft parts annually for more than $230 million annually.
David Chuter, CEO and General Manager of IMCRC, believes that the application of this green laser pointer technology will be far greater than national defense.
“The benefits of the project for Australian industry are significant. Although the current project focuses on military aircraft, it may be transferred to the civil aircraft, marine, rail, mining, oil and gas industries,” Chuter said.
“In fact, this may apply to any industry where metal degradation or part remanufacturing becomes a problem.”