Mon, 12 June, 2023
We are inviting interested parties to attend the launch meeting for a new Joint Industry Project (JIP) related to the use of cold spray to repair components that have been damaged by corrosion, wear and foreign object impact.
Component damage can require an asset to be removed from service during repair as well as the need to hold stock to replace damaged parts. This is not only costly, but also impacts the environment due to the energy used to effect a repair.
The current fusion/weld-based techniques for metallic component repairs introduce heat to the material microstructure, which can degrade the mechanical properties. Weld-based repairs can also prove challenging for materials such as aluminium, magnesium, and titanium as they typically require inert environments to counteract their high oxygen sensitivity. Weld-based repairs also create residual stresses that can distort parts or reduce their fatigue life.
Repairs can also be achieved with the use of polymer fillers like epoxy but these materials provide limited mechanical properties, a reduced upper temperature limit and a restricted repair lifetime.
Cold Spray for Repair
As a result of these problems, we are investigating how cold spray could provide an alternative repair technique, using little of no heat input and offering high levels of flexibility, high deposition rates and an ability to repair even oxygen-sensitive materials.
Offering faster repair times and lower associated costs, cold spray promises excellent quality to cost ratios for repairs in industries including aerospace, construction, oil and gas, rail, defence, and more.
Joint Industry Project Benefits
This project will develop new approaches to cold spray repair, improved deposit performance and an increase in the range of materials to be sprayed. Those joining the project will have access to information about the latest tools used to control and monitor the process as well as independent datasets to assist your decision-making.
Those who join the JIP will also have the opportunity to guide the direction of the research to target your own challenges, with the cost of the original research being split between the JIP subscribers, and all participants getting access to the final report.
The launch event for this project is due to be held at TWI Cambridge on 27 June 2023, please email jip@twi.co.uk to find out more and to register. An online meeting link will be provided to anyone unable to attend on the day.
We also held a webinar dedicated to this upcoming project, which you can see, below: