Aerospace

Aerospace manufacturing places demanding requirements on material purity, consistency, particle characteristics and component geometry. CVMR’s vapour metallurgy technologies address these requirements by providing controlled routes for refining metals and producing engineered material forms. In carbonyl refining, metals such as nickel, iron and cobalt are selectively converted into volatile metal carbonyls, separated from non-volatile constituents and then decomposed to recover refined metal. The process can produce high-purity metals and powders with controlled particle characteristics for manufacturing routes such as metal injection moulding and additive manufacturing. CVMR also uses vapour-phase deposition to produce metal coatings and near-net-shape components. Because the metal is deposited directly onto a surface or form, the technology can create complex geometries and controlled wall thicknesses while reducing the amount of subsequent machining required. Together, these capabilities allow CVMR to address several material requirements relevant to aerospace manufacturing: high-purity feed materials, engineered metal powders, functional coatings and near-net-shape metallic components.

Carbonyl nickel powders are produced in spherical and filamentary morphologies. Spherical grades suit metal injection moulding and additive manufacturing, where flow behaviour and packing density govern part density. Filamentary grades suit applications that need mechanical interlock or high surface area, including battery electrodes, filters and catalyst supports.

Nickel vapour deposition (NVD) deposits nickel directly from the vapour phase onto a substrate or master form. The deposited metal follows the geometry of the underlying surface, allowing coatings and solid nickel forms to be produced with controlled dimensions and detailed surface replication. CVMR uses vapour deposition to manufacture metal coatings, mould inserts, seamless forms and net- or near-net-shape components. Because material is deposited directly into the required form, the process can reduce the amount of machining and material removal required after forming, particularly for components with complex geometries, thin sections or demanding surface requirements. For aerospace manufacturing, this capability provides an alternative route for producing high-purity nickel coatings and specialized metallic components where geometry, surface conformity and material control are important. CVMR has applied the technique to nickel coating on carbon fibre for Conoco USA, nickel deposition for slush moulds for General Motors, and nickel and chromium coating design with Arcanum. CVD Manufacturing Inc., a CVMR subsidiary, produced the optical inserts for the H&K Reflex project.

CVMR is ISO 9001 certified and approved by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority of Ontario. The nickel carbonyl refining process is approved by the environmental monitoring branches of the governments of Ontario in Canada, Michigan in the United States, Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany and Jilin Province in China. All process loops are hermetically sealed, and gas detection operates at one part per billion.