A new company popped up on our radar this morning: VRC Metal Systems (aka VRC). Headquartered in South Dakota, USA, the company introduces a Cold Additive Manufacturing solution designed for in-field repairs. Named Dragonfly Cold Spray System, the machine can be used across industries such as maritime repairs, aeronautical maintenance, repair and overhaul, and the energy sector.
VRC might sound new in the AM market, but the company was founded in 2013 after obtaining an exclusive license to commercialize the patent-pending cold spray technology. The company licensed the patent after a joint ownership agreement between the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and the Army Research Laboratory was completed.
VRC expands its scope of expertise to AM in 2021, with VRC Cold Spray being the first solution it introduced in the metal AM market.
The Dragonfly™ Cold Spray System
Made up of four main modular components – the heaviest module weighing just 94 lbs (43 kg), this system eliminates the necessity of removing metal components that require off-site repairs, resulting in time savings and enhanced cost-effectiveness.
The Dragonfly™ modules include the electrical assembly, the gas train, the powder feeder, and the heating unit.
The electrical assembly resides within a standard mil-spec Pelican case, purposefully designed to absorb shocks and vibrations encountered in field environments. This assembly includes connections for each module, as well as additional ports for external dust collection and thermal couplings.
The gas train employs the same casing as the electrical assembly, this module is also designed to withstand shocks. It features connections for gas input and outputs to the heater and powder modules. This VRC single-gas system is capable of handling nitrogen, helium, or compressed air, enhancing its versatility as a cold spray system.
The Dragonfly™ includes VRC’s PF2 Powder Feeder, which can hold up to 1 liter of powder. This feeder is a staple in many of VRC’s cold spray systems and offers exceptional flexibility, allowing ample space for maneuvering the spray nozzle.
Lastly, the Dragonfly™ features VRC’s 21kW heater, which is capable of reaching temperatures up to 800 °C.
The entire system is controlled by a VRC Pendant Controller, allowing users to initiate a cold spray process with just a few buttons clicks. Internal data logging, available via both USB and non-USB transfer options, enables users to record their cold spray processes anywhere and back up data for future analysis. The pendant can store up to 100 Cold Spray Recipes, providing flexibility for common use cases.
These recipes can be user-defined or loaded from VRC Metal Systems’ pre-approved collection.
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