“With this cellular, autonomous chilly spray system, we’ll be bringing restore capabilities nearer to the plane,” she defined. “We can make repairs within the shadow of the plane that have been beforehand not potential utilizing present, accepted chilly spray methods. And there’s flexibility in that the system might be programmed to run autonomously, or be used in-hand by certified artisans.
“The system will save time, as a result of the artisans gained’t have to totally disassemble the plane as a way to full these particular, accepted repairs,” Templeton continued. “We’ll save on time and prices related to transporting sure elements and parts from one location to a different. And we’ll additional save on prices by returning to make use of some parts that might have been scrapped earlier than, however can now be salvaged by the chilly spray course of. There are such a lot of advantages to having this technique accepted to be used.”
The chilly spray course of bonds metallic to metallic in a comparatively low-heat surroundings as a way to deposit a coating onto a floor, or substrate. Stable metallic powders are accelerated by a heated fuel and directed towards a metallic substrate; the transferring particles affect the floor and embed on the substrate, forming a robust bond. In aviation purposes, chilly spray is used to restore plane parts like shafts, gearboxes and skid tubes by depositing a sturdy metallic alloy coating to surfaces. This coating can fill abrasions or gouges in some circumstances, or present protecting protection in others.
Most chilly spray methods at the moment utilized by the Navy are positioned in cubicles, which creates measurement limitations, Templeton mentioned. There are finite limits to the scale of the parts that may be handled within the cubicles, which implies that elements usually must be faraway from plane earlier than spraying, or the parts can’t be sprayed in any respect as a consequence of their measurement. The cellular nature of this technique mitigates these measurement constraints and likewise lends itself to the potential for on-aircraft repairs in areas that don’t have everlasting chilly spray cubicles.
Templeton and her workforce have been working for years with the Naval Aviation Enterprise Chilly Spray Built-in Merchandise Group to make the imaginative and prescient of a cellular, autonomous chilly spray system a actuality for plane maintainers on the depot degree. In late 2019, FRCE hosted the primary U.S. area demonstration of an on-aircraft structural restore utilizing a cellular, autonomous chilly spray metallization system funded beneath the Workplace of the Secretary of Protection International Comparative Take a look at Program. Over the course of the two-day trials, the workforce demonstrated an on-aircraft restore to the windowsill of a V-22 Osprey, and likewise carried out an off-aircraft restore to a surplus H-1 skid tube.
The H-1 program was the primary inside NAVAIR to undertake the brand new system, Templeton mentioned, and has accepted it to make particular repairs to the helicopter’s combining gearbox and skid tube. It’s gratifying to see the workforce’s work come to fruition, she added.
“It takes a number of time, a number of effort and a number of supporters inside NAVAIR; nonetheless, it’s all price it once we implement a know-how that may finally profit our warfighters,” Templeton mentioned.
Tim McCardle, a assist gear logistics administration specialist with NAVAIR’s Marine Corps Gentle/Assault Helicopters Program Workplace (PMA-276), mentioned officers anticipate the system could have a optimistic affect on readiness by serving to guarantee parts attain their full service life, slightly than being scrapped early as a consequence of put on, as is the case with the H-1 combining gearbox. The system has additionally been fielded on the Fleet Readiness Middle Southwest area website at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.
“Gearboxes have an anticipated service life primarily based on flight hours, and once they provide you with put on or chafing to the outer case, they’re pulled out of service lengthy earlier than they have been ever meant to be. There’s an incredible price to that, each fiscally and by way of element availability,” he mentioned. “What this technique does is enable artisans to make repairs to lots of these outer circumstances, so these gearboxes might be put again into service and used for his or her deliberate life.”
McCardle agreed the unit’s cellular nature can even enhance readiness by decreasing plane motion, thereby decreasing downtime through the upkeep course of.
“The chilly spray system being beforehand used to make these repairs just isn’t cellular,” he mentioned. “With this model, you possibly can take the instruments to the plane slightly than having to attend to carry the plane to the instruments. You save a number of movement that means by not having to maneuver a whole plane.”
Kevin Conner, H-1 Drives and Diagnostics supervisor for NAVAIR’s H-1 Fleet Assist Group at FRCE, mentioned utilizing a cellular system permits for extra flexibility in processes that have been previously confined to depot industrial areas, which can assist enhance the H-1 program’s responsiveness to wants of the Fleet.
“The brand new system will assist minimize the time the belongings are out of service for repairs, and enormously enhance the vary of repairs that may be accomplished,” Conner mentioned. “This functionality affords the chance to execute in-service repairs rather than transferring the whole plane out of the squadron and into the depot, which reduces the plane’s outing of service and will increase mission readiness.”
Whereas the H-1 program is an early adopter of this technique, there are potential use circumstances for the know-how that exist for different plane platforms all through the naval aviation neighborhood, Templeton famous. For instance, the system has been examined as a potential resolution for repairing a becoming on a V-22 Osprey that at the moment requires main disassembly of the plane to handle.
The properties of the chilly spray course of make it particularly adaptable to all kinds of makes use of, Conner famous.
“Chilly spray know-how is shifting the scope of restore to handle metallic restore and restoration with an answer that surpasses present adhesive-based repairs, weld repairs and mechanical fastening repairs,” he defined. “Chilly sprayed materials mechanically and metallurgically bonds to the substrate, successfully changing into a part of the broken materials. Chilly spray is superior to welding in that it doesn’t dramatically degrade the fabric course of with a big heat-affected zone, and materials properties are maintained with out requiring a follow-on course of like annealing or warmth treating. This opens up future capabilities for every type of purposes which might be but to be imagined.”
FRCE is North Carolina’s largest upkeep, restore, overhaul and technical companies supplier, with greater than 4,000 civilian, navy and contract staff. Its annual income exceeds $1 billion. The depot supplies service to the fleet whereas functioning as an integral a part of the larger U.S. Navy; Naval Air Methods Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Facilities.
