Method to strip and recoat erosion coatings applied to fan blades and structural guide vanes
A method of repairing an erosion coating coupled to a substrate, wherein the coating comprises an anodization layer on the substrate, a bond primer layer on the anodization layer, a corrosion-resistant primer on the bond primer, and an erosion coating on the corrosion-resistant primer. The method comprises abrading an erosion coating; abrading a corrosion-resistant primer; creating an abraded surface comprising a bond primer over an anodization layer coupled to the substrate, applying a sol-gel adhesion promoter layer to said abraded surface; applying a corrosion-resistant layer over the sol-gel adhesion promoter layer; and applying an erosion coating layer over the corrosion-resistant layer.
1. A process of repairing a coating coupled to a metal substrate, wherein the coating comprises an anodization layer on the substrate, a bond primer layer on the anodizing layer, a corrosion-resistant primer on the bond primer, and an erosion coating on the corrosion-resistant primer, the method comprising:
removing the entire erosion coating by a mechanical removal technique;
abrading the corrosion-resistant primer;
creating an abraded surface comprising a non-homogenous combination of a bare metal surface, said anodization layer, a portion of said anodization layer, said bond primer, and said corrosion-resistant primer,
scrubbing said abraded surface with at least one of a soap, an anionic detergent, a cationic detergent, and a non-ionic detergent;
after said scrubbing, applying a sol-gel adhesion promoter layer to said abraded surface comprising said non-homogenous combination;
applying a corrosion-resistant layer over said sol-gel adhesion promoter layer; and
applying an erosion coating layer over said corrosion-resistant layer.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said abraded surface comprises at least one of a portion of a bond primer over said anodization layer over said substrate and a portion of a corrosion-resistant primer over a portion of said bond primer over said anodization layer over said substrate.
3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said abrading comprises plastic media blast.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said abrading step utilizes media selected from the group consisting of plastic media, walnut shells, cherry stones, starch, and CO 2 pellets.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said abrading is selected from the group consisting of mechanical abrasion, plastic media blast, abrasive blast, grinding, sanding, laser ablation, waterjet stripping, and flashlamp/CO 2 stripping.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said abrading the corrosion-resistant primer further comprises removing said corrosion-resistant primer, and removing a portion of said bond primer.
7. The process according to claim 1 further comprising:
performing a mechanical de-oxidation technique; and
removing oxidation from said abraded surface.
8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein said mechanical de-oxidation technique is performed prior to applying said sol-gel adhesion promoter layer.
9. The process according to claim 1 further comprising:
prior to said applying said sol-gel adhesion promoter layer to said abraded surface;
concurrently performing the steps of:
removing the entire erosion coating by a mechanical removal technique;
abrading the corrosion-resistant primer; and
creating an abraded surface comprising said bond primer over said anodization layer coupled to said substrate.
10. The process according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises at least a portion of a blade.