Establishing a UK-based Powder Supply Chain for Engineered Powders (Engineered Powders UK)

冷喷涂是一项新技术，用于修复高价值铝、镁和钛航空航天部件在使用过程中出现的磨损/腐蚀损伤，这些部件是通过其他方式无法修复的。维修具有技术、成本和环境效益，但英国在采用这项技术方面落后。在美国和澳大利亚，已经开发了200多种军用飞机维修，批准了数百种商用航空维修，迄今为止为纳税人和航空业节省了至少1亿美元。现有的修理是尺寸的，但承重的修理现在也在开发中。这需要特殊的热处理金属粉末，因为在冷喷涂中，粉末以超音速撞击表面，并通过类似爆炸焊接的机制与表面结合。没有熔化，因此粉末结构直接转移到涂层上。在美国，对这些粉末的研究刚刚开始，许多技术挑战仍然存在。这些粉末必须进一步开发和验证，并建立可靠的商业供应。在这个项目中，英国有机会在冷喷涂工程粉末方面建立全球领先地位。随着InnovateUK的投资，PSI有限公司（一家中小企业）将利用其在粉末方面30年的经验，将自己定位为先进冷喷涂粉末的全球供应商。为此，PSI正在与BAE系统公司和TWI公司合作。TWI拥有欧洲唯一独立的最先进的冷喷涂设备，自2006年以来一直活跃于冷喷涂领域。BAE系统公司估计，该项目的成果将在8年后为英国纳税人每年节省100亿英镑。中小企业项目合作伙伴Alphatek Hyperformance Coatings Ltd正在考虑投资冷喷涂技术，以期为现有和新客户实现飞机部件维修的商业化。

Cold spray is a new technology to restore in-service wear/corrosion damage on high-value aluminium, magnesium and titanium aerospace parts that are unrepairable by other means. Repair has technical, cost and environmental benefits, but the UK is lagging behind in adopting the technology. In the US and Australia over 200 military aircraft repairs have been developed and hundreds of commercial aviation repairs approved, saving taxpayers and the aviation industry at least $100m so far. Existing repairs are dimensional, but load-bearing repairs are now also being developed. This requires special heat treated metal powders, because in cold spray, powder impacts a surface at supersonic speeds and bonds to it via a mechanism similar to explosion welding. There is no melting, so the powder structure is transferred directly to the coating. Research into these powders has just started in the USA and many technical challenges remain. The powders must be further developed and proven, and a reliable commercial supply established. In this project, the UK has the chance to establish a global lead in engineered powders for cold spray. With InnovateUK investment PSI Ltd. (an SME) will take advantage of its 30 years’ experience in powders to position itself as a global supplier of advanced cold spray powders. To this end, PSI is partnering with BAE Systems and TWI. TWI owns the only independent state-of-the-art cold spray facility in Europe, and has been active in cold spray since 2006. BAE Systems estimate the project outcomes could save the UK taxpayer >£100m pa after 8 years. SME project partner Alphatek Hyperformance Coatings Ltd is considering investing in cold spray, with a view to commercialising aircraft component repairs for existing and new clients.