A new robotic paint stripping system called Flashjet was put into operation by the US Navy at NAS, Kingsville, Texas, on 20 July.
The Boeing-developed coatings removal system will be used initially to strip Boeing T-45A Goshawk trainers, although the site could also be used to strip other Navy carrier-based aircraft, says the manufacturer.
The Flashjet system combines pulsed light energy and a steady stream of dry ice pellets to remove up to 0.37m² (4ft²) of paint per minute for less than $4 per 0.1m2.
Boeing says this is less than one-third of the cost of manual removal, and one-sixth the cost of chemical stripping. The system has been tested and verified to be safe for all types of metallic and composite substrates, including carbonfibre, Kevlar and boron/carbonfibre epoxy-based components.
The method does not require pre-cleaning or masking of the aircraft and, once a coating is removed, the surface is ready to paint.
The Flashjet system is also environmentally safer and, according to the manufacturer, produces 90% less waste than conventional stripping techniques.
It was installed at Kingsville following a successful demonstration at NAS Jacksonville, Florida, where it was used to strip Lockheed P-3 maritime patrol aircraft.
Source: Flight International
