CTMA Investment - $1.2M; Industry Cost Share - $1.3M FRC East manually refurbishes on average 150 main rotor blades each month. The process requires an extensive amount of tedious labor in a dusty, uncomfortable environment. Because coatings contain toxic chemicals, personnel must wear extensive personal protection equipment to avoid dust inhalation. Sanding with air-driven orbital sanders causes damage to the substrate resulting in additional rework. Laser-based coating removal technology does not produce secondary waste. The laser technique is highly controllable, and parameters can be chosen to remove very thin layers at each pass. Coupled with the ability to incorporate real-time sensing and control, this ensures protection of the substrate. Fiber delivered lasers offer great flexibility in manipulating the beam, and well-designed robotics will permit processing of sharp radii and edges. CTMA Investment - $1.2M; Industry Cost Share - $1.3M Laser Coating Removal for Helicopter Blades Robotic Laser Stripping = $7.2M/year assuming adoption for all DoD helicopter blades DoD Benefits Level 1 Benefits: FRC East: 2X Faster than traditional stripping methods with blade scrap rate reduced by 60%. Annual cost savings, $2,605,000. Level 2 Benefits: Applied to all helicopter blades maintained by DoD. Annual cost savings, $4,585,000. Level 3 Potential: Applied to all helicopter blades and composite propellers maintained by DoD. Annual cost savings, $7,285,000. Application by Armed Services: CTMA Sponsored: NUWC Keyport laser paint stripping unit designed and built at Keyport in Newport, RI Fleet Readiness Center East implementation of first full-scale laser paint stripping machine for helicopter blades. Corpus Christi Army Depot laser paint stripping of helicopter blades (observer) Penn State Technical Report 05-003 “Integration of Laser Coating Removal for Helicopter Blade Refurbishment Phase I Final Test Report,” has resulted in a conditional approval of the laser coating removal process for the CH-53E helicopter blade application. Potential: Apply to all helicopter blades and composite propellers maintained by DoD.