On-Demand Release, Structural Adhesives for Rapid Assembly/Disassembly in Shipbuilding Operations

Advanced high-strength epoxy adhesives are proposed for ship building operations. These adhesives possess the remarkable ability of rapidly releasing when treated with a low power current (d.c.). The adhesives can be used to make temporary high strength attachments to both metal and composite substrates during the performance of construction tasks. These attachments can then be removed with minimal time and effort, allowing the bonded substrates to be easily restored to a pristine condition. When used to form permanent bonds during ship construction, this high added value technology permits structures to be rapidly disassembled for repair and refurbishment operations. This technology will provide substantial time and cost savings in virtually all areas of ship construction. These savings will multiply with the increasing use of composites in ship construction. During the proposed research, personnel from Bath Iron Works will use electrically releasing adhesives in the performance of two non-safety critical shipbuilding tasks. This demonstration will permit development of application techniques and guidelines for use of the adhesive in the shipbuilding environment and will promote the expansion of this technology to the broader range of shipbuilding activities