Titomic recently detailed its advanced defence solutions, including additive manufacturing for high-performance parts and cold spray technology for in-field repairs.
Titomic’s cold spray technology facilitates rapid repairs of industrial equipment across various sectors within manufacturing.
Cold spray technology is a specialised additive manufacturing process where metal particles are sprayed onto a surface at high velocity to create coatings or repair surfaces.
To leverage the full potential of cold spray technology, Titomic has been focused on commercialising it within crucial sectors such as defence and aerospace.
Its goal is to transition the proven capabilities of cold spray from research labs to real-world industrial applications.
For years, Titomic has collaborated with research organisations, including the CSIRO, ANSTO, and universities, to enhance cold spray technology and expand its uses.
It is also working with various partners to establish and meet high industry standards for cold spray applications, especially in sectors with stringent process controls.
Dr. Arthur Gavrin, Vice President of Advanced Materials at Triton Systems, offers an in-depth perspective on the commercial impact of cold spray technology.
“Cold spray is an additive process versus a subtractive process, which translates to less material wastage and more efficient use of resources,” he said.
Titomic primarily provides products within two categories: large additive manufacturing machines and smaller machines often used for coating and repair applications.
Coating, in this context, refers to applying metal onto an existing metal geometry. One of Titomic’s flagship products, is the D523 Standard & Custom Cold Spray system.
The D523 is a low-pressure cold spray system designed for versatile applications, including corrosion repair, bearing seat restoration, pattern restoration, hermetic sealing, and the addition of conductive layers.
The spray can be applied across a range of materials such as metals, glass, ceramics, and plastics.
The spray itself involves injecting powdered metal into a high-speed air stream and accelerating it to supersonic speeds.
Upon impact with the surface, the metal powder solidifies without melting, making the process both easy to use and safe for environments like oil rigs and operational areas.
Recently, Titomic sold 10 of its D523 systems to the Royal Dutch Army, with nine of these systems being sent to Ukraine for vehicle maintenance.
“The Dutch Army reached out because they wanted to contribute positively to the efforts in Ukraine,” said Dominic Parsonson, head of sales and marketing, Titomic.
“They recognised that our cold spray technology could significantly aid in rapid infield repairs with a simple process that doesn’t require highly trained engineers.”
Typically, if a piece of equipment used in the field requires repairs, it would have to be brought back to a base for welding and other traditional techniques.
However, the goal for Titomic is to enable its clients to bring repair capabilities closer to the front lines.
“Our technology offers significant benefits, particularly with our smaller machines used for coating and repair applications,” said Parsonson.
“Originally focused on automotive remanufacturing and the oil and gas industry, our tech has adapted to meet evolving needs.
“Recently, due to geopolitical shifts, there’s been a push to maintain and repair existing equipment more rapidly and closer to the front lines.”
Not only with the cold spray repair parts, but it can also provide ballistic protection after the repair process has been completed.
“The technology is being developed to enhance ballistic protection for armoured vehicles by focusing on reducing their weight while still providing robust defence capabilities,” said Parsonson.
“This scalable technology, which can be used for both small and large components, has been tested against various ballistic threats and shown to be effective.
“It addresses the logistical challenge of balancing armour weight with operational mobility, particularly in battlefield conditions.”
Titomic’s D523 system, weighing 40 kilograms, can be easily transported and adapted for defence applications.
“Last year, we participated in a logistics exercise with the European Defence Agency, where various nations tested their technologies to address real-world problems,” said Parsonson.
“We discovered numerous opportunities to use our technology for repairing armoured vehicles, tracked vehicles, and logistics vehicles.”
These systems are not only easy to transport and deploy but also highly intuitive, making them simple to use.
As Parsonson explained, someone with only 30 minutes of training can operate the D523.
“In areas like Ukraine, it’s essential that equipment isn’t just impressive but also practical and easy to use,” he said.
“Users simply match the colour-coded metal powder with the correct hopper, press the corresponding button, and within 15 seconds, they’re ready to start repairing metal equipment.
“In Ukraine, the war is fought with a mix of equipment, ranging from brand new systems from Germany to older gear from the 1960s and 70s.
“Maintenance of this diverse and ageing equipment needs to be done quickly, cost-effectively, and often by personnel with minimal training.”
Titomic’s cold spray in action
In defence applications, cold spraying is useful in various contexts.
When equipment suffers superficial damage, cold spraying provides quick solutions, minimising the need for maintenance and ensuring rapid repairs.
“Imagine a scenario where a bullet hole penetrates the top of an engine block. While this damage isn’t catastrophic enough to destroy the entire engine, it does render it non-functional due to oil leakage and the risk of overheating,” said Parsonson.
“Ordinarily, you would remove the damaged part and replace it with a new one. However, in a forward operating environment, a replacement part might not be available.
“In such cases, a repair unit with a welder might be present. Unfortunately, welding cast iron or cast aluminium can lead to further damage, such as cracking or warping.”
Its benefits extend beyond saving time and convenience. Depending on what you’re using it for, the D523 can also save you money, as it only requires a cold work permit to operate.
Parsonson explained that when dealing with an oil rig or a mining facility, obtaining a red-hot work permit – which is required when working with exposed flame or sparks, such as with a welder – can be a challenge.
This process often necessitates shutting down the facility, leading to more costs.
In contrast, cold work permits are much easier to obtain and implement relative to red-hot working environments.
“The risks of getting it wrong are enormous for your operators, infrastructure, and personnel,” said Parsonson.
“While cold work permits still require caution, and there are always risks in these environments, they are much easier to obtain, implement, and are far safer.”
Titomic’s technology is also highly scalable. For example, at its Melbourne facility, it uses the same additive manufacturing technology to create large components.
With larger systems and more powerful guns operated by robots in extensive facilities, it produces parts up to three or four metres in length for the aerospace and defence industries.
Essentially, it’s the same technology, but scaled up with bigger, faster machines capable of working with challenging metals like titanium and Inconel.
“One of the significant advantages in the aerospace industry, particularly defence aerospace, is that many components are made from titanium and titanium forgings,” said Parsonson.
“For the past 20 years, the supply chain for titanium six-four forged components and forged billet material has been dominated by Eastern Europe, Russia, and China.”
Parsonson says that given the current geopolitical landscape, this reliance on these supply chains has become a serious risk.
In response, there is a drive in the US, supported by federally legislated requirements, to produce large titanium components domestically.
Titomic’s technology facilitates this capability, enabling cost-effective, localised manufacturing of large titanium components to replace forgings and castings.
“This scalability allows us to meet the growing demand for large titanium components in the aerospace and defence industries, providing significant benefits and addressing critical supply chain challenges,” said Parsonson.
Ultimately, Titomic’s cold spray technology and additive manufacturing solutions offer practical benefits for repairing and producing parts in challenging environments.
The D523 system enables rapid, cost-effective repairs while also providing ballistic protection.
This approach addresses traditional repair limitations and contributes to resolving supply chain challenges in sectors like aerospace and defence.
