Boeing, Northrop Grumman and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—drew up different aircraft designs. From phase one, NASA narrowed its research goals. It supported follow-on evaluation of specific technologies such as the aircraft coatings Cessna is testing. “Phase one was very conceptual,” says Johnson. “We did not, for example, have any metrics to measure maintainability.” “When ‘inventing’ the STAR-C2 skin concept, improved maintenance was an important criteria,” she adds. “We’re interested in eliminating one of the challenges of composite materials—damage requiring repair that cannot be seen externally—and providing an enhanced capability to integrate health monitoring easily.” Various materials will be applied to the carbon substrate panels used for testing. The panels will be coated with core materials such as foam or honeycomb [for impact absorption], shell material [for impact spreading] and lightning protection material. A film appliqué from Integument will be one of the materials evaluated as the outer layer.
Film Exposure
Terry Vargo, president and co-founder of Integument.
Perhaps the newest material—not to mention most innovative—is the film appliqué developed by Integument. The coating largely is the brain child of the company’s president and co-founder, Terry Vargo, who came up with a unique bonding technique while attending graduate school at the State University of New York at Buffalo. The agent holds a bond with Teflon in temperatures ranging
from -65 to 300 degrees F. A result of Vargo’s chemical-processing study is a material called FluoroGrip. This appliqué, which includes a blend of high- performance resins and fluoropolymer-based films, has been applied to items ranging from street signs (to thwart graffiti and prevent fading and wear) to large chemical tanks that store acids and bases. FluoroGrip protects against corrosive conditions, including salt spray, so it also has been applied to various U.S. Department of Defense vehicles and equipment that suffer from extreme exposure to marine environments. Cessna approached Integument in early 2011; however, other aviation entities also have shown interest in the company’s technology. For example, Integument has sold to the DoD a FluoroGrip product specifically designed for aircraft, applied on the newest generation of fighting jets. Perhaps most intriguing is FluoroGrip’s ability to replace paint. “For composite materials, the problem with paint is it doesn’t stick well,” says Vargo. Being toxic, paint application and removal also invites environmental issues, not to mention the time-consuming tasks of applying primer and enough multiple coatings to prevent even a pinhole of surface exposure. “Our product is not toxic,” Vargo states. In addition to
corrosion resistance and conductivity (it provides lightning strike protection for wind turbines), FluoroGrip can integrate pigments and serve as a paint scheme. For example, the U-Haul trucks often seen on U.S. highways have a comparable film appliqué depicting colorful scenery on their sides. “Right now, we’d like to make decals for commercial airplanes,” he says. “We could have a design printed inside the film; it would look like paint and won’t be damaged.”
Count On Service. Count On Co-Op.
When you select Co-Operative Industries for your wiring harness repairs, you can depend on experienced technicians and a dedicated staff. Our repair center delivers quality workmanship combined with responsive turn times.
Specializing in GE90, CFM56-5A/-5B/-5C, CFM56-7B, CF6-80C, PW4000 QEC and others, you can count on reliable wiring harness solutions that will keep your organization moving forward.
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solutions@coopind.com
www.coopind.aero FAA No. OI0R891N EASA.145.5897 CAAC No. F00100406
Aviation Maintenance |
avm-mag.com | April / May 2012 43
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