The Pressure is On
by January 10, 2000 12:00 am 82 views
Construction is under way in Springdale on an 8,400-SF building for Advanced Systems Technologies Inc., a division of Pratt & Whitney PSD.
The facility will use NASA technology to remove coatings from airplane engine parts with high-pressure water (55,000 psi, the highest water pressure allowed in the industry). The metal parts will then be sent to Pratt & Whitney to be examined for cracks and wear.
Previously, the coatings were removed with dangerous chemicals (such as sulfuric acid) and by workers using hammers and chisels. The old process could take up to four days on one machine part, says Greg Strom, who is managing the installation of the product line in Springdale for AST. The process can now be completed in about four hours with the high-pressure water technology, he says.
“It actually erodes the material,” Strom says. “It’s sort of a controlled eroding process.”
The coatings are used as thermal barriers on combustion chambers or as fan casings. Periodic inspections of the parts are required by the industry. The coatings are then reapplied by another division of Pratt & Whitney.
The Springdale facility will likely work on engine parts for United Airlines and Federal Express, Strom says.
About eight qualified employees will be hired to operate the Springdale facility. Strom says the machinery there will cost about $1 million. Construction is expected to be completed in mid-January, and the facility is expected to be in operation by March.