Hardwear owns novel 'in situ laser surfacing' technology, which was developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Welded Structures, in collaboration with key partners Swinburne University of Technology, CSIRO, Connell Wagner, WTIA and ANSTO together with eleven, Australian power stations. The award-winning technology combines new laser, laser torch and robotic innovation to permit on-site, laser surfacing of metallic components "in situ" without the need for dismantling,off-site repair, replacement or protracted downtime. The portable laser minimises distortion and subsequent machining / grinding. The initial application of the technology has been to low pressure steam turbine blades, which suffer erosion and wear on their leading edges (see below, left). Such wear can lead to notching and subsequent blade failure. Hardwear's technology has been successfully applied to such blades since 2004 (see below, right).