Repair of aircraft components by laser cladding process

Abstract

With aging fleets in-service parts damage from corrosion, wear or debris impact is becoming more prominent. Replacement of these damaged parts can be expensive and slow and therefore have a significant impact on fleet availability and sustainment costs. Laser powder technology is regarded as an advanced manufacturing technology, which could change the way fleet operators think about long term sustainment. Parts could quickly be manufactured or repaired in country from CAD files.With the advances in laser technology, laser cladding is one of laser technologies, which is becoming an industrial repair technology. The technology is at a point where it can potentially be used to repair or refurbish the non-critically structural aircraft components. Its adaptability to a variety of materials and applicability to solve and/or minimise a variety of induced damage is strength. The current major issue is the certification of laser clad repairs or manufactured parts. At present certification tends to be on a case by case basis.This paper reports on the successful use of laser cladding to repair non-critical structural aircraft components. This paper summaries the current research and applications and of the research on laser cladding of steel alloys, which has being carried out by Defence Science and Technology Organisation and Defence Materials Technology Centre, Melbourne, Australia. An overview of the certification process for a typical non-critical structural component repair is also provided.With aging fleets in-service parts damage from corrosion, wear or debris impact is becoming more prominent. Replacement of these damaged parts can be expensive and slow and therefore have a significant impact on fleet availability and sustainment costs. Laser powder technology is regarded as an advanced manufacturing technology, which could change the way fleet operators think about long term sustainment. Parts could quickly be manufactured or repaired in country from CAD files.With the advances in laser technology, laser cladding is one of laser technologies, which is becoming an industrial repair technology. The technology is at a point where it can potentially be used to repair or refurbish the non-critically structural aircraft components. Its adaptability to a variety of materials and applicability to solve and/or minimise a variety of induced damage is strength. The current major issue is the certification of laser clad repairs or manufactured parts. At present certification tends to be on a case by...