Guide: Cold Spray3D printingTechnology is a way of using accelerated gas particles to makemineral powderIt hits the substrate to form a high-density part that is superior to the casting process. Since its inception, this process has been loved by the military of various countries, such as Australia (for details, please refer to:Cold sprayed metal3D printingLoved by the military!Australian Army extends partnership with SPEE3D).
The Additive Manufacturing Flight Team of the 28th Maintenance Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base in the United States carried out the first repair of an active aircraft in May 2021 and used metal cold spray (kinetic energy consolidation) technology to repair it The sliding joint above the wing of the B-1B bomber realizes vertical movement up and down within the contour of the wing. This is the first application of this technology on an active aircraft after its first successful demonstration at a U.S. Air Force base in 2019.
△U.S. Air Force maintenance uses cold spray to repair active aircraft
Brian James, chief engineer of MXG additive manufacturing for the 28th maintenance team, said that during the cold spray process, they use helium to accelerate the particles to Mach 3. Through the impact, the 6061 aluminum alloy particles are combined with the substrate. He explained that the US military usually takes weeks or months to order, transport and remove old components, and install new components, but now it only takes a few hours or days to complete using cold spray technology. This can enable the Air Force to save approximately US$2 million (approximately RMB 12.96 million) per year through additive manufacturing technology.
Military applications of cold spray
The 28th Bomber Wing established the Air Force’s initial field-level flight additive manufacturing in 2019, using cost-effective new technologies to repair aging aircraft components. In the cold spray repair process, the maintenance personnel first remove the corrosion, and then spray with aluminum material. After that, technicians polished to make the surface of the new aluminum material flush with the original surface. Compared with traditional repair methods, the cold spray process saves time and reduces costs by about 98%.
△VRC Raptor
In the past seven years, Ellsworth has cooperated with VRC Metal Systems, a company specializing in cold spray machinery manufacturing, cold spray related process development and research, as well as the development of new cold spray products for government and commercial applications. VRC Metal Systems produces two types of high-pressure cold spray equipment: one is a semi-portable system called Gen III, which can be installed in a dedicated room or booth of a maintenance facility, and the other is a small self-contained type called VRC Raptor The system can be repaired on site using cold spray.
△GEN III
Both contain a basic unit (a box the size of a generator or welding machine), which heats the carrier gas and uses a proprietarysoftwarePrecisely control the powder into the airflow. Then the main controller uses a hose and a variety of different nozzles, and sprays with different spray speeds and patterns. VRC also has a modular system that can be installed under the submarine’s hatch, assembled and repaired, and then disassembled, removed or stored.
Other cold spray companies
Cold spray technology is cold solidified metal3D printingPart of the technology category, this category also includes Fabrisonic’s ultrasonic consolidation and MELD’s friction consolidation (based on friction stir welding) manufacturing.Companies that currently master cold spray technology include: Australian companiesSPEE3DwithTitomic, German company Impact Innovations, and American company VRC Metal Systems. In addition, GEAdditive has also made certain contributions to the promotion of this technology.along with3D printingWith the expansion of the market, cold spray technology is gradually expanding its market applications, especially in the military field.
△Cold spraying process
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