Joint Technology Exchange Group (JTEG) Meeting May 9 Through 11th 2000

Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) Depot Processes Leading Edge Technology
Maintenance Directorate Production Engineering Division Industrial Engineering Branch Mr. Edward C. Cooper Chemical Engineer TEL: (361) 961-6403 FAX: (361) 961-3937

Corpus Christi Army Depot

WORKLOAD TO BE SUPPORTED Engines, Components, and Airframe sections from the  UH-60 Blackhawk (Army work load)  SH-60B Seahawk (Navy work load)  MH-60 Pavehawk (Air Force work load)  AH-64 Apache (Army work load)  AH-1W Super Cobra Whiskey model (Navy)  UH-1 Huey (Army work load)  CH-47 Chinook (Army work load )  CH-53 Sea Stallion (Possible Navy/Marine)

Industrial Engineering Branch What Do We Do?

Function
Depot Tasking to Plan and Manage the Upgrade and Modernization of: Processes Equipment Facilities

Industrial Engineering Branch How Do We Do It? Identify problems Propose solutions Coordinate with customer Perform Market Survey Perform Independent Government Estimate Perform Economic Analysis Write Technical Specifications Award contract Implement projects

Industrial Engineering Branch Credentials To Do What We Do It? Degreed Engineers Chemical Engineers Industrial Engineers Electrical Engineers Material Engineers Mechanical Engineers Product Production Engineers

Wheat Starch Blasting (WSB) Room

SPECIAL FEATURES
            

12-ft W x 10 ft H x 30-ft L Blast Room Uses 12/30 mesh Wheat Starch media to strip paint from composites Composites have been damaged by Plastic Media Blasting (PMB) in the past Supports new model helicopters Non- Flight Safety parts, process based on TM55-1500-345-23 and CCADs A.10 Procured at $400,000 80% of the man-hours previously used to PMB and repair will be saved Army Working Capital Funds (AWCF) FY 96 Procured by CCAD 15 May 96 from Aerolyte Systems Inc Installation began in September 96 and completed November 96 Operational as of November 96, processing Army, Navy and AirForce workload CCADs Process Standard A.10 released July 98 AVRDEC sees benefit in stripping blades relative to hand sanding

Automated New Style Vapor Degreasing System

SPECIAL FEATURES  Liquid and vapor phase is used to clean engine sections, gears, shafts Equipment uses Normal Propyl Bromide which is not a HAP 3 feet of liquid immersion phase cleaning/agitation 3 feet of vapor phase cleaning 12 feet high tank (4 feet high hood) Automated clean solvent spray mist Automated part processing Heat loss insulation Power miser to reduce heat input during idle conditions Solvent distillation/recycling

Automated New Style Vapor Degreasing System

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS (SOLVENT EMISSION REDUCTION)

Tight designed enclosure Designed to use regenerative activated carbon to capture solvents Dehumidifying coils Super condensing coils (cooled to approximately 20 F) 100% Freeboard Primary condensing coils (cooled to approximately 40 F) Super Heated Vapor plate coils (steam at 50 psig) for fast part drying

New Generation Vapor Degreasing System

PURPOSE  Existing equipment upgraded to use solvents in the liquid spray and vapor phase to clean composite structures prior to adhesive bonding. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT  The equipment will use Normal Propyl Bromide which is not a HAP LOCATION  Composite Shop CAPACITY  13 ft L x 5 ft W x 10.75 ft H overall dimensions

Varsol Spray Cabinets (Depot Wide)

SPECIAL FEATURES
Uses PD-680 Type II A Varsol (no aromatics) to clean small parts Vapors are exhausted and captured by carbon adsorption and returned to holding tank High volume low pressure spray at10 psia as gauged at 12 psig Electric pump spray (not air atomization) Varsol is filtered as it leaves the holding tank Door operates under negative pressure (vacuum) when door is open, and positive pressure when door is closed Explosion proof lighting

Composite Repair Facility (Waterjet cutter) This cutting system is capable of operating up to 60,000 psi and cuts material such as composites, glass, plastics, and exotic materials. The system is desirable because of the precision cutting capacity and the non-thermal application. The waterjet is robotically operated on a three axis gantry system.

Layout Patterns and Foundry (Laser Vane Removal Systems) Nd: YAG Laser, this laser uses the mineral crystal Yttrium Aluminum Garnet as the medium to produce 10,600 nm light. The laser resonator is adjustable to achieve power of either 250 watts in precision drilling or 400 watts as a higher through put cutter-driller on T-700 3rd Stage Nozzle Segments and other nozzle segments.

Layout Patterns and Foundry (Laser Vane Removal Systems) CO2 Laser System, this laser uses Carbon Dioxide gas as the medium to produce 10,600 nm light in the far infrared spectrum with rated power at 1100 watts. Control and Operation can be done from a CNC or the Control Console. System is used to remove T-53 first stage gas producer vanes and vanes from other turbine and gas producer parts.

Rotary Wing Facility (Laser Paint Stripping System): The system is capable of removing paint and primer from composite rotor blades without structural or thermal damage to the substrate. The system is fully automated with operation taking place while the operator and observers are inside the control room. The system is capable of handling all blades currently worked at CCAD and will be able to accommodate the Navy/Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion blades should the need arise.

Rotary Wing Facility (Laser Paint Stripping System): In addition, future use of the laser could involve the stripping of various aircraft parts including tailbooms, cowling pieces, and tail pylons. For this to be possible, additional fixtures would have to be manufactured and the system programmed by the operator. The programming of the system is done with a teach pendant. This allows the operator to position the laser head over 3 points to define an area, these are then saved in the system to teach the robot the area to be stripped.

Rotary Wing Facility (Autoclave): The contract to design, fabricate, and install a 10 foot diameter by 50 foot, natural gas fired, autoclave at CCAD was awarded to Taricco Corp., Long Beach, CA, on October 21, 1994. The cost of the entire system and installation was approximately $2,000,000. The autoclave system is able to operate at temperatures up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit, 165 psi, with a full vacuum of 29 inches of Mercury.

Rotary Wing Facility (Autoclave): The autoclave system, which includes associated instrumentation and support systems, was installed at the Blade Facility in support of the Blackhawk and Seahawk programs. This equipment provides the Department of Army, and specifically CCAD, the capability to perform de-icing mat replacements on the leading edges of the main rotor blades. This is a Category 3 level repair that only Sikorsky can now perform.

Rotary Wing Facility (Autoclave): An added Autoclave benefit to composite repair curing is the ability to remove moisture from main and tail rotor blades. The autoclave is utilized during the curing process of composite repairs. After a de-icing mat or honeycomb section is replaced and adhesive applied, a bagging material is placed around the repaired area. A vacuum is drawn on the bag to remove air contamination to the adhesive bond during curing.

Rotary Wing Facility (Autoclave): The blade is placed into the autoclave with the vacuum still in place. The entire vessel is pressurized (using a nitrogen atmosphere for safety) and heated to accelerate curing. As the pressure increases, the vacuum on the bag decreases so that too much adhesive does not squeeze out. A stronger bondline is obtained using this procedure.

Manufacturing NDT Shop (Waterjet Stripper) 2.9 gallons per minute of water at 55,000 psi maximum pressure is use to Strip Nickel/Aluminum metal spray coats from such parts as Cooling Plates, Compressor Cases and Impeller Shrouds in 8-14 minutes. The system is programmable with a teach pendant. There is no hazardous waste disposal. The unit was procured for $900,000. Process replaces hazardous acid and caustic coating stripping process.

Advanced Metal Finishing Facility

A $25 million Advanced Metal Finishing facility (Plating shop) became operational in September 1996. The project was funded under Military Construction Army (MCA) dollars. The facility houses 25 metal finishing processes. The facility includes the following facility support items: Packed bed scrubber to prevent the emission of acidic or corrosive exhaust fumes from entering the air. Water purification systems to removed hard deposits from city water. Waste Treatment systems to remove heavy metals and other contaminant from process solutions.

  

Engine Cleaning Shop (Automated Shot Peening) Shot Peening is a cold working process used to increase fatigue life & prevent stress corrosion cracking of metal parts. The surface of metal substrates are bombarded with round steel shot under fully controlled conditions. Every piece of shot acts as a tiny peening hammer. Peened part surface layers are compressed. Cracks will not propagate into a compressed layer formed by Shot Peening.

Engine Cleaning Shop (Automated Shot Peening) The Shot peening process is designed to increase part life & eliminate failures of existing designs. Parts which are typically Shot Peened are the UH1 Rotor Masts and CH-47 Rotor Shafts. The Automated Shot Peening unit has a pressure blast machine with a large booth, robotic arms, a CNC controller for automated operation and one large robotic blast nozzle. The system also has two blast pots for two sizes of shot. The system was procured under FY 97 funding.

Component Machine Shop (CNC Laser Thread Measurer ) This Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machine measures the inside and outside diameters of UH60 Blackhawk parts such as the Spindle and Spindle nut. Machine is programmable and user friendly.

Engine Machine Shop (CNC Boring/Milling Machine) This Computer Numeric Control machine drills, reams, or bore holes in such parts as UH-60 Cuff blades.

Rotary Wing Facility (Blade X-Ray System) A 100 Kilo -Volt digital X ray imaging system for the radioscopic inspection of bonded composite helicopter main and tail rotor blade assemblies replaced the old X ray unit. The old system uses a real time video imaging X ray to look for foreign objects, moisture and cracks in composite blades. The system could X ray the 33 foot Navy/Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion blades. The old system is called the Hangar 44 NDI (Blade X-Ray System).

Rotary Wing Facility (Blade X-Ray System) The new Industrial X-Ray system is a state of the art real time radiographic x-ray system for inspection of U.S. Army bonded composite helicopter rotor blades. The system was supplied on a turnkey basis including installation and training. The system includes the following: Closed loop, high stability x-ray generating subsystem & 100 Kv x-ray tube head.

Rotary Wing Facility (Blade X-Ray System) Host computer & microprocessor based x-ray control unit. X-ray image intensifier, optical coupling, & color video closed circuit TV system. Digital image processor. Super VHS video cassette recorder, monitor, and video printer.

Rotary Wing Facility (Blade X-Ray System) Mechanical manipulation system for x-ray tube head & radioscopic image detector. Operator's desk style control console. Radiation shielded blade x-ray enclosure with safety system.

Metal Spray Shop (Robotic Metal Spray Plasma) Nickel Alumina, Aluminum, Tungsten Cobalt, Cobalt Chromium, Nickel Graphite powders are melted by a flame. The molten metal is propelled on to such parts as the T-700 Compressor Housing, T-700 Impeller Housing, T-55 4th Stage Nozzle, and the T-53 Air Diffusers, providing a protective metal coating. The unit has six axes of movement and a teach pendant or off line program capabilities.

Metal Spray Shop (Robotic Metal Spray Plasma) The unit allows for metal spraying of larger and heavier parts such as the UH-60 Main Housing Assembly. It allows for automatic (self ) calibrating of the powder feeder flowrate (g/min).

Container Waterjet Paint Stripper

The Waterjet stripper is an enclosed eight axis articulated robotic arm which has an end-effector and a nozzle mounted on the end-effector. The nozzle uses water under high pressure to remove paint and surface rust from steel and aluminum containers. The project was funded under FY 93 DERA or FY 94 WMCA funds for a total cost of $1,500,000.

Flashjet Paint Stripper



An automated stripping cell designed to effectively remove topcoats, primers, and contaminates from DoD helicopters utilizing FlashJet technology. The system consist of a fixed, gantry style robot and airframe support system which utilizes a combination of high energy pulsed light and a dry ice pellet stream with an integrated Effluent Capture System (ECS) to remove and capture the coating residue

Flashjet Paint Stripper

   

System can remove the topcoat only or primer and topcoat without damaging the substrate material. Capable of stripping weapon systems and components composed of primarily aluminum substrates as well as composite structures. No preparation (masking) of aircraft required prior to stripping. No wipe down or rinse required after stripping. Surface is left ready for prime and paint. Some hand sanding required in tight corners and areas inaccessible to FlashJet stripping head. Removal of contaminants (fuel residue, lubricants, dirt, etc.) are added benefits of the process

Flashjet Paint Stripper

  

Purchase costs - FY 96 $3,519,000 Savings / benefits - $384,514 Type of Funding - DBOF CIP