Laser-based Paint Removal for Aluminum and Composite Aircraft Structures

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Aircraft paint systems have a typical life of around 3 to 5 years after which their effectiveness for corrosion protection and cosmetic appearance are degraded. This degradation requires paint removal and re-application, which means that through the useful lifetime of an aircraft it will require paint removal and re-application in excess of 5 times.Current processes for paint removal from aircraft involve mechanical abrasion, and chemical stripping, both of which have significant draw backs. A large amount of harmful waste is produced by the labor-intensive paint stripping processes raising safety concerns for employee health and the environment. The can also be potential damage to substrate material which can compromise the integrity of an aircraft. The use of lasers to remove aerospace paint coatings through ablation have come to the forefront of laser removal processes; providing an environmentally friendly alternative, producing almost no waste, requiring little safety precautions, and offering the possibility of automation.Besnovo, an Ontario based company is currently using a laser, integrated with a robotic arm to effectively strip paint from a variety of aerospace materials. To further develop this technology, detailed characterization of the substrate material after de-coating is required to rule out the possibility of substrate damage. To evaluate the presence of damage, material testing must be conducted on both composite & metallic aerospace materials to determine the effects of laser de-coating.