AUTOMATED LASER DEPAINTING OF AIRCRAFT SURVEY OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES [1989-91]

[Grey Havoc]

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a250380.pdf

The requirements needed to integrate a laser depainting system into the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Depainting Facility were identified and evaluated to determine if the enabling technologies were available to reasonably expect a large robotic laser depainting system could be made and operated in a production environment. Robotic, Laser, Sensor, and Computer control systems were examined, tested, and evaluated.

1.1 Purpose of Study
This final report presents a summary of work performed by Arthur D. Little and its
subcontractors in fulfillment of the obligations of Contract Number F33615-87-C-
5236.

The purpose of this project is to identify and evaluate the enabling technologies
required to fabricate an automated laser paint stripping (ALPS) system,
Specifically, we were tasked to:

• Define, investigate, and evaluate elements/components required to form complete
  automated laser depainting systems capable of stripping large strategic or
  transport aircraft in current USAF inventory.
  
• Review the current state of development of laser depaint systems/components and
  develop system/component performance criteria to be used in their evaluation.
  These systems/components included:
  CO-2 Laser system
  Laser Head System with beam delivery components as required
  Paint/Substrate Discrimination Sensor System
  Automated real time control system
  Robot system
  Paint residue scavenge/reclamation system
  Environmental and safety systems.
  
• Examine available technologies supporting each system/component, compare their
  capabilities (including safety, reliability, and maintainability) against
  system/component performance criteria, and assess the suitability of the
  technology to support their development.
  
  
• Report the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the work.

The purpose of this study is not to design or perform concept work for a laser paint
stripping system. Rather, the intention is to determine the enabling technologies for
the system and ascertain the level of development and compare it to the required
level for each enabling technology. During this study, it was inevitable to form some
ideas and generalizations regarding an ALPS system configuration. This was done
for the purpose of identifying the required technology and organizing the associated
workload. The possible system configurations shown should not be considered the
best or desired system, but rather a generic layout used to structure this study and
illustrate enabling technologies.

 

[GTX]

I have seen this sort of technology in use.

 

[Ju388]

Thankyou so much for posting this. I was with Tracor Aviation from 1982 through July 0f 87 and worked in the aircraft paintshop in Santa Barbara. Ah, the joys of chemical strippers. We had heard about dry media stripping but this laser thing. That would have been great.
Thanks again for the link
Mike