For military forces, the need for vessels to be docked for maintenance significantly affects fleet availability and the readiness of that force. In shipbuilding and naval maintenance industries, coating removal is an essential but time-consuming process. Grinders, needle guns, or hand tools (such as wire brushes and chisels) are often required for small-scale removals, and each comes with drawbacks such as hazards to operator health, slow removal rate, and damage to substrates. There is a significant need for a new tool that will accelerate small scale coating removal operations without these negative effects. Atmospheric Plasma Solutions Inc. (APS) has developed a single-person-carriable system that uses cold atmospheric air plasma to rapidly remove organic based coatings without altering the surface profile of underlying substrates. This paper details the results of laboratory and in-field testing of this system and highlights its adoption benefits to productivity, worker safety, corrosion control, and fleet readiness.

Subject
Test methods, Coating removal, Coating performance, Steel surfaces, Coatings, Substrates, Tools, Plasma, Substrate surfaces, Internal surfaces, Surface profile, Maintenance, Needle gun
Keywords:
Non-Profiling Coating Removal, Cold Plasma Technology, Non-Destructive Weld Inspection, Asset Lifetime Extension, Surface Preparation
© 2022 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP (OR NACE OR SSPC). Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2022
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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