Military Equipment Industry Overview
Peacekeeping operations, military exercises, and humanitarian relief missions are some situations in which military equipment is used and needs to be ready to protect and serve its operators and occupants. Like other military assets, it needs to be in good working condition at all times.
Military equipment is subject to harsh, abrasive, and corrosive environments, including sand and dirt, seawater, and extreme temperatures. Equipment out of service in a repair depot due to these conditions is equipment that can’t be used when needed, wasting time and resources.
Military Equipment Challenges
Maintaining operational readiness of everything from weapon platforms to trailers to earth moving equipment in every corner of the planet presents a massive logistics challenge. Keeping this equipment in the field and out of the repair depot is the number one priority of any military asset manager. Dry, dusty, dirt-laden environments result in abrasion within moving mechanisms, as well as wear and tear on exposed surfaces. In contrast, humidity or exposure to seawater set the right conditions for corrosion.
The harsh environments can cause other metal finishes, such as powder coating, to deteriorate, crack, and chip prematurely, thus allowing another entry point for metal degradation.
VRC Metal Systems Solutions
VRC’s High-Pressure Cold Spray is a relatively low-temperature, solid-state thermal spray. It accelerates particulates to supersonic speeds, using kinetic energy to metallurgically fuse with the original material, creating a high bond strength between the substrate and coating. This coating can restore the damaged area to its original dimensions and add enhanced material characteristics.
Moving equipment to and from repair depots creates logistic issues with the unavailability of replacement parts, causing additional delays. VRC Metal Systems’ High-Pressure Cold Spray (HPCS) completes in situ repairs of existing components, thus eliminating equipment moves and waiting for incoming inventory.
HPCS equipment and technology also provides solutions for the abrasion, corrosion, and metal fatigue resulting from the harsh working conditions in the following ways:
- Mixtures of metallic and nonmetallic particles, such as chromium carbide – nickel-chromium or tungsten carbide – cobalt, add wear-resistant coatings to resist future abrasion.
- Zinc and aluminum coatings add corrosion-resistant layers.
- By metallurgically fusing with the base material, the coating adds strength to the original component instead of simply adding a layer of material, thereby repairing and slowing metal fatigue.
- The solid-state process leaves coatings in a generally compressive residual state, having a positive impact on the fatigue and strength of the coating.
- The application of nickel, stainless steel, titanium, or aluminum can be used for dimensional restoration of damaged or corroded surfaces, extending component life and eliminating the need for replacement.
- HPCS can repair existing cold spray applications permitting a limitless number of repair cycles.
- Cold spray’s low-temp process requires no curing, thus generating no heat-affected zone or damage to heat-sensitive components.
With VRC Metal Systems, repair technicians can often repair a part without removing and replacing it. The repair has minimal emissions or toxis fumes that impact the environment or the health of the workers. The fixed portion can, in some cases, even be better than a new component by using a superior material to repair a sensitive substrate and at a fraction of the cost.
If you’re interested in a reliable, efficient solution for military equipment repair, contact us today. Request a quote, and one of our Sales Engineers will contact you.
Contact VRC Metal Systems today to find out how cold spray technologies can support your energy industry infrastructure.
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