• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NAVSEA Keyport Delivers Automated Rotor Blade Stripping System

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090806-15
Release Date: 8/6/2009 5:23:00 PM

From Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport Public Affairs

KEYPORT, Wash. (NNS) -- Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport delivered the first Automated Rotor Blade Stripping System (ARBSS) system to Fleet Readiness Center (FRC-East) Cherry Point, N.C., July 15.

The system's delivery is the culmination of an intensive three-year effort to develop and produce the Department of Defense's first robotic laser stripping system for a composite aircraft structure.

"Keyport engineers are proud to be on the leading edge in the development of this technology in support of the warfighter, and we look forward to the next challenge," said Pat Bergan, Applied Technology Program Systems engineer.

ARBSS automates the paint removal on CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopter rotor blades. A commercial robotic arm mounted on a 30-foot track manipulates a laser stripping head over all areas of the rotor blade surface during paint removal operations. It controls all aspects of the rotor blades reconditioning, including securing the blades, laser equipment, laser head communications and monitoring sensors.

The new automated system yields both manpower and cost savings for warfighters. The previous manual process of paint stripping one rotor blade requires 22 hours of manpower. ARBSS completes a blade in four to six hours, depending on the thickness of the paint.

NUWC Keyport, a Naval Sea System Command field activity, is focused on developing and applying advanced technical capabilities to test, evaluate, field, and maintain undersea warfare systems and related defense materials worldwide.