Search
Close this search box.

We are creating some awesome events for you. Kindly bear with us.

RMIT University forms research collaboration to produce aircraft parts by 3D printing

RMIT University forms research collaboration to produce aircraft parts by 3D printing

An announcement
made by the RMIT University highlighted the research project it is currently
working on that would allow for building and repairing steel and titanium parts
for defence force aircrafts. 

The university is collaborating with RUAG Australia
and the Innovative
Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre
(IMCRC).

Professor Milan Brandt leads a team of RMIT
researchers who are using ‘laser metal deposition’ technology for building and
repairing steel and titanium parts.

The parts being built and repaired are for
defence force aircrafts which they are working on in collaboration with RUAG
Australia and the IMCRC.

Metal powder is first fed into a laser
beam, which is then scanned across a surface in order to add new material in a
precise, web-like formation.

This technology can be used to 3D print
parts from scratch or to fix existing parts with a bond that is as strong as,
or possibly even stronger, than the original.  

Professor Blandt explained, “It’s basically
a very high-tech welding process where we make or rebuild metal parts layer by
layer.”

He added that the concept is proven and
prospects for its successful development are extremely positive.

Research and Technology Head at RUAG
Australia Mr Neil Matthews said that the technology could completely transform
the concept of warehousing and transporting for defence and other industries.

This technology provides on the spot
creation and repair as parts could just be built and repaired onsite whereas in
the current process, replacement parts require storage before being transported
where the parts are needed.

Mr Mattews added, “Instead of waiting for
spare parts to arrive from a warehouse, an effective solution will now be
on-site.”

He explained, “For defence forces this
means less downtime for repairs and a dramatic increase in the availability and
readiness of aircraft.”

The technology will apply to existing
legacy aircraft as well as the new F35 fleet. The move to locally printed
components is expected to save money on maintenance and spare part purchasing,
scrap metal management, warehousing and shipping costs.

In an independent review commissioned by
BAE Systems, findings showed that an estimated cost of more than A$230 million
a year for the Australian Air Force is spent replacing damaged aircraft parts. 

IMCRC CEO and Managing Director Mr David Chuter
believes the technology can also be applied in other industries. He said, “The
project’s benefits to Australian industry are significant. Although the current
project focuses on military aircraft, it is potentially transferable to civil
aircraft, marine, rail, mining, oil and gas industries."

He added, "In fact, this could
potentially be applied in any industry where metal degradation or remanufacture
of parts is an issue.”

The two-year project is the latest in a
series of collaborations over the past decade between Professor Brandt, the
Director of RMIT’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing and a leading expert in
the field and RUAG Australia.

Professor Brandt concluded, “As the leading
Australian research organisation in this technology, we are confident of being
able to deliver a cost-effective solution that fulfils a real need for defence
and other industries.”

RUAG Australia promises excellent support
and service to the Defence and Aerospace markets, combining engineering
expertise and exceptional levels of subject matter knowledge with
fully-accredited manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities.

IMCRC is a cooperative research centre that
helps Australian companies increase their global relevance through research-led
innovation in manufacturing products, processes and services.

PARTNER

Qlik’s vision is a data-literate world, where everyone can use data and analytics to improve decision-making and solve their most challenging problems. A private company, Qlik offers real-time data integration and analytics solutions, powered by Qlik Cloud, to close the gaps between data, insights and action. By transforming data into Active Intelligence, businesses can drive better decisions, improve revenue and profitability, and optimize customer relationships. Qlik serves more than 38,000 active customers in over 100 countries.

PARTNER

CTC Global Singapore, a premier end-to-end IT solutions provider, is a fully owned subsidiary of ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) and ITOCHU Corporation.

Since 1972, CTC has established itself as one of the country’s top IT solutions providers. With 50 years of experience, headed by an experienced management team and staffed by over 200 qualified IT professionals, we support organizations with integrated IT solutions expertise in Autonomous IT, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Cloud Infrastructure, Workplace Modernization and Professional Services.

Well-known for our strengths in system integration and consultation, CTC Global proves to be the preferred IT outsourcing destination for organizations all over Singapore today.

PARTNER

Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work. Our solutions enable organizations to connect the business from ideas to impact, empowering companies to accelerate the achievement of what matters most. Planview’s full spectrum of Portfolio Management and Work Management solutions creates an organizational focus on the strategic outcomes that matter and empowers teams to deliver their best work, no matter how they work. The comprehensive Planview platform and enterprise success model enables customers to deliver innovative, competitive products, services, and customer experiences. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with locations around the world, Planview has more than 1,300 employees supporting 4,500 customers and 2.6 million users worldwide. For more information, visit www.planview.com.

SUPPORTING ORGANISATION

SIRIM is a premier industrial research and technology organisation in Malaysia, wholly-owned by the Minister​ of Finance Incorporated. With over forty years of experience and expertise, SIRIM is mandated as the machinery for research and technology development, and the national champion of quality. SIRIM has always played a major role in the development of the country’s private sector. By tapping into our expertise and knowledge base, we focus on developing new technologies and improvements in the manufacturing, technology and services sectors. We nurture Small Medium Enterprises (SME) growth with solutions for technology penetration and upgrading, making it an ideal technology partner for SMEs.

PARTNER

HashiCorp provides infrastructure automation software for multi-cloud environments, enabling enterprises to unlock a common cloud operating model to provision, secure, connect, and run any application on any infrastructure. HashiCorp tools allow organizations to deliver applications faster by helping enterprises transition from manual processes and ITIL practices to self-service automation and DevOps practices. 

PARTNER

IBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

Send this to a friend