Engineers from VRC Metal Systems reported in a presentation at ITSC 2019 that cold spray offers advantages for both the repair of corrosion damage in susceptible magnesium and aluminum structures, and the replacement of environmentally challenging techniques such as cadmium and chromium conversion/hard coatings.
U.S. Navy ships, as well as industrial and commercial aircraft and vessels, all experience severe environmental conditions leading to corrosion damage. Cold spray corrosion mitigation and repair are TRL6-TRL8 for many applications and have a high manufacturing readiness of >MRL6, which allows for easy approval and application.
However, most cold spray systems are either low-pressure systems that cannot achieve requisite properties for demanding applications, or are not ruggedized. Other cold spray systems are too large and do not allow for shipboard and flight line repairs, where in-situ repair is necessary to avoid significant cost.
To meet these Navy and industry needs, VRC has developed ruggedized, portable, and hatch-able cold spray systems. These include the VRC Dragonfly hatch-able cold spray solution, and the VRC Raptor ruggedized system, which can be augmented with the RUAG FCT-developed trailer system. This system contains a portable power supply, gas supply, and extendable robotic platform, enabling unprecedented levels of system portability. These innovative cold spray technologies allow for the in-situ repair of corrosion damage, providing new cost-effective solutions for the rapid repair of strategic weapons systems.
Title: Field Application of Cold Spray for Repairs in the Navy and Industry
Authors: Dr. Christian A. Widener, Mr. Kyle Johnson, Mr. Kris Klus, VRC Metal Systems, Rapid City, South Dakota.
