In this second appointment with Mission Future, Chiara De Angelis, Metallic Material and Surface Treatment Specialist, accompanies us around the Leonardo Helicopters’ plants in Vergiate and Cascina Costa (Varese, Italy).
Together, we travel through all the phases of the life cycle of our helicopters, from the laboratories where materials and products are studied even before design, right up to the delivery area to the customer, passing through the assembly line and the flight line. We delve into the wonderful complexity of one of our business areas of excellence and discover how many different people and skills meet and collaborate to arrive at the final product.
Chiara, a graduate in Materials Engineering and Nanotechnology from the Polytechnic University of Milan, tells us that, in her role as a specialist in materials and surface treatments, she puts into practice what she learnt during her studies, on a daily basis. With Chiara, we enter the laboratory where she works and discover how she uses the salt spray chamber to test the resistance of materials and coatings to the corrosion process. One of the most important challenges for Leonardo, and for the aeronautical world in general, is the search for products, materials and processes that are increasingly sustainable for the environment as well as people, while maintaining the necessary and essential performance characteristics.