K-TIG’s welding samples for armoured vehicles get tick of approval from Hanwha Defense Australia
Hanwha Defense Australia managing director Richard Cho said testing indicates K-TIG’s process is effective and faster than traditional welding.
Welding technology company K-TIG (ASX: KTG) has reached its first milestone in developing advanced keyhole welding procedures for Hanwha Defense Australia and Hanwha Defense Corporation with samples and independent results sent for evaluation.
K-TIG executed a memorandum of understanding with both Hanwha entities in March this year to develop welding technology to help build Australia’s next generation of armoured vehicles.
Under the MoU, K-TIG was tasked with developing procedures and demonstrating its ability to weld armoured steels for use in the companies’ Redback and Huntsman military vehicles being offered to the Australian Army under the Land 400 and Land 8116 procurements.
In today’s announcement, K-TIG revealed it had completed the first round of weld testing and has delivered samples and quality testing results for the companies to evaluate.
The samples were for joint geometries using ultra hard hardness (UHH) and ultra-high toughness (UHT) armours.
Positive independent test results
Hanwha Defense Australia managing director Richard Cho said the company was “greatly encouraged” by the independent test results on K-TIG’s welding.
“Hard and thick armoured steel can be difficult to weld effectively but these tests indicate that K-TIG’s process is both effective and faster than traditional welding.”
With the success of the testing, the companies will continue working together to examine the practical application of K-TIG’s technology to Hanwha’s production processes.
“The potential for cost savings, while increasing productivity and quality make K-TIG’s advanced welding technology an attractive proposition,” Mr Cho said.
Gaining exposure in global defence market
K-TIG manager of welding research and development Dr Zhenyu Fei said the company’s advanced welding system had produced hardness and tensile strength results “superior to traditional MIG (metal inert gas) welding practices”.
Managing director Adrian Smith noted this achievement under the MoU with the Hanwha companies marked an “important milestone” in using K-TIG’s technology in the global defence sector.
He said the replication of earlier research on specific complex armours used in modern vehicles validates the company’s technology.
“The next milestone towards the industry acceptance of K-TIG into armoured steel welding is the welding and qualification of actual vehicle components,” Mr Smith added.