Subiaco-based advanced materials group Quickstep Holdings Ltd has announced that the patent application covering one of the key components of its composites manufacturing technology has been granted in Australia.
The grant of the patent - covering the co-curing, joining and bonding (melding) aspect of the Quickstep Process for cost effective composites production - represents an important enhancement of the company's intellectual property portfolio and reflects the growing recognition and acceptance of the technology worldwide.
Patent applications for this aspect of the technology are in place in Europe, the United States, China, South Korea, Brazil and elsewhere. The basic Quickstep Process itself is protected by patents in force across the globe in Australia, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands and Sweden.
Quickstep's managing director Nick Noble said the ability to join or meld composite components in a process akin to welding without a requirement for rivets or bolts, represented one of the most revolutionary aspects of the Quickstep Process, with potentially far-reaching significance particularly in the aerospace industry.
"This aspect of our technology has attracted particularly strong interest internationally, including amongst some of the world's leading aircraft and aerospace companies, who are increasingly looking to incorporate composites into their designs," Mr Noble said.
"The ability to produce larger composite parts by joining components together seamlessly without the need for bolts or rivets represents a potentially massive step forward for the composites industry.
"The cost and weight savings would be enormous, combined with a significant improvement in performance," he added.
"These features have been one of the key drivers of growing levels of interest in the Quickstep Process, particularly in `high-end' applications in the aerospace industry, and we are very pleased that we now have relevant patent protection in force in Australia."
The Quickstep Process is an innovative fluid-based curing technology for the production of panels or components made of advanced composites, which reduces the cost and production lead-time compared with conventional autoclave production processes.
At 1230 WST, Quickstep's share price had fallen 4.55 per cent to 21 cents.
