Additive Friction Stir Deposition for Precise Multi-Metal Repair in Aerospace Applications

Additive friction stir deposition is a new method of additive manufacturing that can produce metal structures and repairs with properties similar to those produced by forging. Friction stir deposition systems can deposit a variety of metal alloys, including aluminum, titanium, and high-strength steels, which makes them useful for Navy applications. However, the deposition heads of commercial systems are usually 1.0 to 1.25 inches in diameter, which makes it difficult to repair small, complex structure damage on Navy and Marine Corp aircraft. Additionally, the large deposition heads require significant counter backing forces during application, which can cause deformation in thin cross-section aircraft parts. To overcome these issues, Triton Systems is developing a more portable additive friction deposition system that is focused on repairing areas less than 1 square inch. The new system will still be able to process a variety of aircraft alloys but will not require large backing forces, making it suitable for parts with wall thicknesses of 0.125”. During Phase I, the team will use modeling to verify processing parameters and expected deposition areas/quality. Empirical and ICME data will be collected to confirm the models and demonstrate the deposition mechanical properties. In Phase II, a prototype system will be used to demonstrate repair on a wider variety of alloys, such as aluminum 7050-T7451, Ti6-4, and AerMet 100. The mechanical properties of the repairs will be assessed to demonstrate the quality of the depositions for these alloys. The goal is to deliver a full friction stir deposition system to NAWCAD for evaluation and eventual adoption for aircraft repair.