Spot Anodizing System for Repair of Cargo Aircraft Flooring

This program will develop and deliver a non-drip brush re-anodizing process, and compact equipment to carry out the process on-aircraft for re-anodizing the aluminum around cargo floor patches on C-5 aircraft. The process will recover most of the abrasion and corrosion resistance of the undamaged panel without dripping electrolytes through fastener holes or compromising floor patch bonding. The concept was proved in Phase 1 and has also been demonstrated for anodizing the vertical surface of a Static Port on the P-8 Poseidon. We will design and construct a prototype full-scale non-drip brush anodizing system with a new, unique tool design made specifically for repair over areas of a few square feet. This tool will allow the maintainer to anodize accurately the area adjacent to the patch, as well as the surrounding area to overlap the existing anodize layer. In order for the tool to function correctly without dripping, it will be designed by Corrdesa using a validated combination of computational fluid dynamics and electrodynamics – a design methodology that can be used for a very wide variety of electroplating, anodizing and fluid flow problems. The anodizing system will be tested on scrap floor panels and mockups patched per TO 1C-5M-3. The repair process will be validated for equipment function and anodize performance, ensuring that the equipment is non-drip, provides satisfactory corrosion and abrasion resistance, and does not adversely affect patch bonding. The system will be constructed and a Preliminary Hazard Analysis carried for the equipment and process chemicals. The equipment will be fully tested and demonstrated in the laboratory on scrap panels or mockups. It will then be delivered to Robins AFB, together with documentation and training for on-aircraft demonstration and use. Although designed specifically for re-anodizing C-5 floors panels, because the system is non-drip it will be equally capable of repairing other areas on the aircraft where the anodize coating has been lost or damaged, such as vertical areas of the fuselage, and even upside down areas beneath the flight surfaces. Using the computational tool design approach, it will be possible to extend this type of brush plating and anodizing to a wide variety of different applications and geometries.