3 March 2016

Dredging company DEME makes the cut with laser cladding specialist LCV

ZWIJNDRECHT– MOL | The Belgian dredging, environmental and marine engineering group DEME and VITO spin-off Laser Cladding Venture (LCV) have signed a three-year cooperation agreement to strengthen the cutter incisors used to dredge hard soils. The cooperation follows a successful pilot project on laser cladding in 2015 and confirms the confidence DEME has in the innovative potential of the domestic market.

Laser cladding is a coating technique in which a laser melts metal powders into objects. The wear-resistant and anti-corrosive layers that are applied improve the durability of the mechanical parts. In a pilot phase, the method was used on dredger incisors and was successfully tested by DEME: even in extreme working conditions the incisors could be used for longer.

Now the initial research will be progressed through economic evaluation via the spin-off Laser Cladding Venture (LCV) which will further develop the technique with DEME during a three year cooperation agreement.

Dominique Durt, Director Applied Development & Innovation DEME: "DEME is heavily focused on innovation. It is thanks to innovative and improved techniques that we can continuously enhance our dredging and related activities. Where possible, DEME cooperates with leading Flemish companies and research institutes. The cooperation with VITO, now continued with LCV, is a good example of this".

Besides coating, LCV also focuses on so-called additive manufacturing, the industrial version of 3D printing.

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