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Laser cladding as a potential repair technology for damaged aircraft components

Qianchu Liu (Air Vehicles Division, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, Australia)
Madabhushi Janardhana (Aircraft Structural Integrity Section, Directorate General Technical Airworthiness, Laverton, Australia)
Bruce Hinton (Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia)
Milan Brandt (School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne Australia and Defence Materials Technology Centre, Melbourne Australia)
Khan Sharp (Air Vehicles Division, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, Australia)

International Journal of Structural Integrity

ISSN: 1757-9864

Article publication date: 30 August 2011

2405

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the preliminary work on using laser cladding technology for the restoration of structural integrity.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary methodology used in this research is to develop a laser cladding‐based metal deposition technique to articulate restoration of structural geometry affected by corrosion damages. Following from this method, it is planned to undertake further work to use the laser cladding process to restore geometry and the associated static/fatigue strength.

Findings

This work has found that it is possible to use laser cladding as a repair technology to improve structural integrity in aluminium alloy aircraft structures in terms of corrosion reduction and geometrical restoration. Initial results have indicated a reduction of static and fatigue resistance with respect to substrate. But more recent works (yet to be published) have revealed improved fatigue strength as measured in comparison to the substrate structural properties.

Originality/value

The research is based on an acceptable materials processing technique.

Keywords

Citation

Liu, Q., Janardhana, M., Hinton, B., Brandt, M. and Sharp, K. (2011), "Laser cladding as a potential repair technology for damaged aircraft components", International Journal of Structural Integrity, Vol. 2 No. 3, pp. 314-331. https://doi.org/10.1108/17579861111162914

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Authors

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