Sputtering Unit for Landing Gear Internal Surface Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-value equipment such as aircraft landing gear faces challenges in maintaining precision internal surfaces due to wear and corrosion, making refurbishment difficult and costly.
Innovation Solution
A system and process involving fluid cleaning, machining, and sputtering to restore damaged internal surfaces, where a sputtering unit with an optimized electrode assembly is used to deposit material onto the internal cavity, allowing for precise restoration of dimensions and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional refurbishment methods are used on internal wear surfaces, then the process becomes complex and costly, but the precision and quality of restored surfaces deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical refurbishment processes with a sputtering-based physical vapor deposition system. Instead of using mechanical tools to restore internal surfaces, the invention uses a sputtering unit that deposits material onto the damaged surface through physical vapor deposition, achieving precise restoration of dimensions and surface quality without the complexity of mechanical intervention in confined spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of the refurbishment process from mechanical removal/addition of material to atomic-level deposition. By controlling sputtering parameters such as power, gas flow, and deposition time, the system achieves precise control over the restored surface properties, including thickness, composition, and surface finish, thereby improving manufacturing precision
2Manufacturing precision
If material is removed to restore worn surfaces, then the original dimensions can be approached, but the process is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cleaning and preparation to the internal surface before sputtering deposition. This preliminary action removes contaminants and oxides that would interfere with proper adhesion of the deposited material, ensuring that the restored surface achieves the required dimensional accuracy and surface quality without requiring extensive material removal or multiple processing steps
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces time-consuming mechanical material removal processes with rapid sputtering deposition. Instead of gradually removing material to restore dimensions, the system deposits new material onto the worn surface, achieving dimensional restoration much faster while maintaining high precision through controlled deposition rates
3Reliability
If internal surfaces are cleaned and prepared thoroughly, then coating adhesion improves, but the refurbishment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces lengthy mechanical and chemical surface preparation processes with a plasma-based pretreatment step in the sputtering system. The plasma activates the surface by removing contaminants and creating a micro-roughened surface structure that enhances adhesion, achieving reliable coating bonding in a single integrated step rather than through multiple separate preparation operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method efficiently and accurately restores the internal surfaces of aircraft landing gear and similar components to their original dimensions, reducing maintenance costs and extending the equipment's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
sputtering the metal of the consumable metallic electrode onto the inner surface
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for refurbishing an internal surface of an article of manufacture includes a sputtering unit. The internal surface of the article of manufacture defines an internal cavity. The sputtering unit includes an electrode assembly coupled to a sealing portion. The refurbishing method begins with preparing the internal surface to remove physical damage and contamination. Next, the sputtering unit is interfaced with the article by extending the electrode assembly into the cavity and sealing the sputtering unit to the article with the sealing portion. The internal surface of the article then defines a boundary of a sputtering chamber. A dimensional value is provided that is related to an internal dimension of the cavity. Finally the sputtering unit is operated to deposit material onto the internal surface based upon the provided dimensional value.