SBIR-STTR Award

The offeror, laser technologies, inc., has a technique and a working co(2) laser breadboard capable of removing paint from surfaces. It vaporizes polyurethane paint from subsurfaces. The vaporization products must be studied for environmental compatibility and workplace hazards. Effects on composite substrate materials must also be studied. It is proposed that phase i support qualitative analysis of vaporizative products and effects on composite materials. Phase ii will support quantitative chemical analysis of vaporization products, detailed analyses of effects on composite materials, and design of a filtration system to remove potentially toxic by-products of vaporized paint. This system has enormous commercial potential. It can be used to remove paint from aircraft, bridges, ships, and any other surface with no environmental or workplace hazards.

Keywords:
PULSED LASERS POLYURETHANE RE PAINT REMOVAL VAPORIZATION COMPOSITE MATER TOXIC HAZARDS QUALITATIVE A

The purpose of this work is to quantitatively define the capabilities of the lti laser surface cleaning system for laser paint removal as applied to air force requirements. Samples of airframe materials, including aluminum, titanium and graphite fiber composites, will be subjected to repeated painting and laser cleaning cycles, with testing to determine the effects, if any, of such repeated exposure to laser energy on all significant properties of the materials. A sufficient number of samples will be tested to provide statistically significant data to support application of the methodology. Turbine blade samples will also be cleaned and tested. In addition characterization of off-gas products will be included to develop data for design of an off-gas collection and handling system. Preliminary studies of the control problems associated with application of this technology to aircraft will be included. Such studies will be design studies utilizing the results of this work to determine the degree to which automated control systems are required to apply this technology to cleaning of aircraft.

Keywords:
PULSED LASERS POLYURETHANE RE PAINT REMOVAL VAPORIZATION COMPOSITE MATER TOXIC HAZARDS QUALITATIVE A