Aluminum-made LG outer cylinders easily become damaged developing nicks and scratches of 5 thousandths of an inch or deeper on the inner surface (ID). This leads to a premature condemnation. There is currently no repair technique to restore the LG outer cylinders to serviceable condition. The EPVD® technique is developed to apply fully dense, well-adhered non-hazardous coatings to internal surfaces of tubular shapes. Development of unique process parameters to rapidly buildup aluminum material to the specified dimension and use of unique in-situ surface preparation methods will ensure a high quality coating. Exploitation of the EPVD technique will allow surface engineering of desired materials and provide the Air Force the capability of saving in excess of $3 Million annually by restoring unserviceable LG outer cylinders to functional condition.
Keywords: Coatings, Landing Gear, Pvd, Internal Surfaces
