R&D: DMTC enhances raw materials of defence technology | ADM Oct 2009
Gregor Ferguson | Sydney
Precision machining is not the glamorous part of defence industry capability.
But the ability to produce finely machined titanium components at a globally competitive price is a fundamental enabler of Australia's defence and aerospace manufacturing capability.
Similarly, the ability to develop and manufacture new, lightweight armour for individual troops and armoured vehicles goes directly to the heart of ADF survivability in the increasingly hostile environments in which it operates.
These are just two of the areas in which the Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) is focusing its R&D efforts.
The DMTC has been operating since July last year, when a consortium led by former advanced composite structures CRC chairman Dr Peter Preston (now chairman of DMTC) and interim CEO Dr David St John of the University of Queensland, with strong support from DSTO's Robert Piele, was selected over three rivals to establish Australia's first Defence Future Capability Technology Centre (DFCTC).
The DFCTC program has no Australian precedent.
It is a defence research and development organisation designed to provide the ADF and Australian industry with the knowledge and expertise to cope with the future threats and opportunities thrown up by emerging technology.
It's also an acknowledgement that DSTO is not an R&D organisation as such but a science and technology agency and that a new construct is required to focus scarce private and public sector R&D resources on critical defence technologies.
The DFCTC program was launched two years ago and is run jointly by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) and the DMO and is designed to embody the best features of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC).
Defence and DIISR solicited proposals from research consortia composed of industry and research sector players to establish an R&D centre focussing on one of these domains.
There was only enough money to fund a single DFCTC initially (though industry and academic sources believe there could be support for a second DFCTC over the next couple of years), and the DMTC proposal was chosen, with a focus on materials and manufacturing technologies.
The DMTC was set up with $86 million of funding over seven years: Defence and DIISR have jointly committed $30 million, with a further $7 million from the Victorian government and the balance from industry and research sector participants such as BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace and RMIT.
Its participants include three state governments and two Federal government agencies (DSTO and ANSTO), five universities and 20 companies.
Principal areas
The DMTC is funded to work in four principal technical areas: Aircraft and Maritime Platforms, Propulsion Systems, and Armour Applications, with additional activities in education, training and IP commercialisation.
It is overseen by a Board of Directors, chaired by Dr Peter Preston, and receives additional input and advice from a Defence Advisory Panel chaired by retired AVM Peter Nicholson and consisting of the Chief Defence Scientist, CEO of the DMO, the Head of Defence's Capability Development Group, former CDS Dr Roger Lough and its CEO, Dr Mark Hodge.
Hodge announced in August a significant investment in precision machining research.
Victorian industry minister Martin Pakula opened the Advanced Surface Solutions Facility (ASSF), a collaboration between DMTC, tooling manufacturer Sutton Tools (a founding industry member of the DMTC) and RMIT.
The ASSF's focus is on the performance and durability of cutting tools: not sexy, but vital for competitiveness in global programs such as the Joint Strike Fighter, says Hodge.
It will focus particularly on technologies such as computer numerically controlled (CNC) grinding technology, advances in surface coating technology and performance testing of cutting tools.
Its cornerstone is an INNOVA Physical Vapour Deposition system, manufactured by Oerlikon Balzers in Liechtenstein, which DMTC acquired with Victorian government support and located at Sutton Tools' premises in Thomastown.
This is designed to deposit nitride and aluminium oxide coatings on machine tool bits which increase their durability and heat tolerance and maintain their sharpness.
The machine will be used to experiment with new coatings and treatments for handling challenging materials such as aerospace- and military-grade titanium.
Why is this so important?
Because increasingly aerospace components are manufactured from titanium, which is difficult to machine and causes high levels of tool wear.
It's not unusual for a 10kg airframe component to be machined from a 100kg billet of aerospace-grade titanium, Hodge told ADM; developing tools specifically to machine this material, and then repairing or reconditioning them as they wear out, is a significant component of the cost of these components.
For BAE Systems, the arithmetic is compelling: it's reluctant to disclose details, but it believes an improved cutting tool management system could save the company over $100 million across the life of a major manufacturing program such as the Joint Strike Fighter.
Global projects like this have a massive demand for precisely manufactured titanium, aluminium and composite components delivered by consistent, high-quality suppliers at stable and reducing prices; savings of this magnitude make a huge difference to the global competitiveness of the industry in Australia.
DCP opportunities
Another promising research area which CEO Mark Hodge has identified is what he terms Personnel Survivability.
Although this overlaps to a degree with its Armour Applications work, and has tacit support from Defence and DSTO, it's a new area which the DMTC isn't funded to explore as yet.
Hodge has been canvassing potential research partners and sources of funding to explore the level of support that's out there, noting the need for indigenous expertise and R&D in personal survivability was identified explicitly as a Priority Industry Capability (PIC) in the 2009 DCP.
If it gets up, says Hodge, the new program would span four areas of R&D including: Ballistic, blast and flash protection; Signature reduction; Utility, fit and comfort; and Environmental - that is, protection from thermal conditions and airborne threats such as CBRN hazards.
In addition to recent operational experience, much of the impetus for the Personnel Survivability research comes from DSTO.
There's sufficient historical data on battlefield wounds and injuries to justify re-examining traditional approaches to personnel protection and trying to break free of the limitations these place on things like freedom of movement, weight and the thermal load penalties borne by troops wearing body armour or CBRN protection.
The utility, fit and comfort element of this program R&D is slightly outside DMTC's materials science remit, acknowledges Hodge, but he considers this the ‘systems integration' task which pulls the essential materials research together.
Integrating these activities could capture technological synergies which make an important difference to weight, thermal load and protection levels without imposing a ‘useability' cost.
The 2009 DCP, and the ADF's current high operational tempo, provides plenty of meat for the DMTC.
So far there has been an explicit focus on aerostructures, propulsion and armour, reflecting the emergence of projects like the Joint Strike Fighter and Army's current and future armoured vehicle programs, including Land 400.
The start of the Future Submarine Project, Sea 1000, points to a new field of Maritime Platform research into structural materials for these boats: like the Collins class submarines before them, they will likely require structural steels with specific characteristics (acoustic and magnetic), and very demanding welding and fastening techniques.
Submarine propulsion - and especially Air Independent Propulsion - is another area of potentially fruitful endeavour.
DMTC is looking to partner with a maritime technology specialist and Hodge hopes that discussions with ASC, for example, will bear fruit in this regard.
The important point about DMTC is that is principally an applied R&D organisation whose focus is on commercialising its knowledge and Intellectual Property (IP).
Disclosure: At the time of writing the author is undertaking a three-month DMTC Research Fellowship.
Stratos in the front seat of design
Katherine Ziesing | Canberra
Australian company Stratos Seating has been designing, developing and manufacturing military seating for 18 years.
The company has successfully integrated modern technology with its vast expertise to produce a range of military seats that provide the highest degree of quality and comfort while enhancing survivability.
The company's growing reputation as an innovator and commitment to research and development has increased demand for its military seats both at home and abroad.
Since it designed and manufactured its first military seat for the Perenti 6x4 Landrover, the company has created numerous custom-designed military seats and developed its world-class BattleSafe range.
Along the way it has acquired patents for many seat technologies as well as seat designs.
Stratos' Defence seating features burn resistant technology as well as ballistic and mine blast protection technology.
The company has also used its considerable experience and technical know-how to meet specific Defence seat requirements.
This includes developing unique handgrips, adjustment controls and seat rotation features.
According to Gordon Lewis, Managing Director of Stratos Seating, the company has successfully met Defence seating requirements because of its considerable innovative capability with a focus on internal R&D.
"Our ability to innovate is what sets us apart," Gordon said.
"We have both the technical expertise to engineer seats and the ability to harness that knowledge to innovate.
"It is a skill which we have been able to refine and effectively implement over the years."
Located in Sydney's west, Stratos' modern manufacturing plant is equipped with hi-tech equipment and precision tooling including robotic welders and CNC drilling machines operated by skilled and experienced personnel to maximise efficiency and quality.
The plant also features an in-house design and testing facility.
Parametric 3D Computer Aided Design systems and Finite Element Analysis are used by Stratos in the R&D program.
Frame durability and fatigue testing along with in-vehicle testing are used to gain valuable feedback on seating performance under all conditions.
To meet the stringent Defence requirements placed on seats, Stratos has also developed test methods to ensure that new designs comply with the rigid requirements.
Apart from the Perenti Landrover, Stratos has developed seats for the Bushranger and Bushmaster vehicles.
It is also involved in the ASLAV, M113, Mercedes Benz
G-Wagen and ANZAC Frigate upgrade projects as well as Project Overlander Land 121 Phases 3 and 4.
The company is also busy developing its next generation of BattleSafe seating.
"With the emphasis on enhancing survivability in Defence vehicles, we are in the process of developing unique seating devices that can better absorb mine blast shocks; ones that can significantly attenuate the mine blast shock loading," explained Gordon.
"We are also refining our seat adjustment devices to provide greater seating flexibility," he added.