In-situ Solid State Repair of Damaged Aircraft Structures Utilizing Impact Welding Technologies

Hepburn and Sons LLC teamed with Applied Impulse Inc. to incorporate novel manufacturing capabilities of impulse welding to provide crack repairs on damaged aircraft structural components. The solid-state joining process enables immediate restoration of component structural integrity through the bonding of wrought plate materials including alloys of aluminum, steel, and titanium. Utilizing wrought plate materials for joining in combination with impact welds preserves the initial microstructures and enables high strength repairs without post-processing or heat treating. In addition, the widely commercially available plate products improve supply chain capabilities, support cost reduction, and provide a more streamlined path to repair certification than experimental materials. The ability to apply the process in open environments and confined spaces makes the technology uniquely positioned to perform repairs in the ground support equipment environment. This research effort will demonstrate the effectiveness of impact weld crack repairs on a coupon level basis and provide evaluation articles of repaired aircraft structural elements. A final demonstration that provides evidence that the technology is deployable to the point of need will be held.