Thin Walls, Strong Repairs: Optimising Laser Directed Energy Deposition for Rocket Nozzle Restoration

Thursday, May 8, 2025: 9:10 AM
Room 2 (Vancouver Convention Centre)
Mr. Regan Ding , Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
Dr. Alistair Jones , Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
Mr. Jason Miller , Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
Mr. Jarrod Watts , Rosebank Engineering, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
Prof. Andrew Ang , Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
Laser directed energy deposition (L-DED) has emerged as a technology suitable for repairing a variety of metallic components, including rocketry nozzles. Repairing rocket nozzles necessitates working on intricate parts with thin-walled regions, which presents challenges related to distortion and thermal management during the repair process. This understanding paves the way for optimizing the L-DED process through a combination of finite element simulation and experimental validation to identify the optimal process parameters for thin-walled components. This study is focused on the potential for using L-DED in repairing thin-wall parts of super-alloy Inconel 718. The research reveals that thin substrates require reduced heat input to achieve similar deposition results to thick substrates, which was also crucial to mitigate distortions and reduce excessive dilution. However, this reduction in heat input must be carefully managed, as it can lead to increased porosity and decreased productivity.
See more of: Novel Processes - Hybrid Manufacturing, Laser Processing, Additive Manufacturing and Repair IV
See more of: Fundamentals / R&D