Repair of Aluminum Alloy Aerospace Components and Cold Gas Dynamic Spray Flow Distribution Study

Abstract

Aluminum alloys have been used for decades in aircraft as they offer a wide range of properties explicitly developed to provide a set of characteristics adapted to structural and non-structural components. However, aircraft components inevitably undergo degradation during service due to their extensive use and exposure to harsh environments. Typical repair methods are either not efficient for large scale repairs due to their low material growth rate, not suitable for field repair or involve the use of high process temperatures. The present research aims at evaluating the cold gas dynamic spray (CGDS) as a potential repair technology to restore Al7075-T6 nose landing gear steering actuator threads found on the Boeing 757 aircraft. Moreover, it studies the suitability of using cold spray to deposit Al2024 material. The influence of process parameters and substrate surface preparation on the material deposition efficiency and resulting microstructural and mechanical repair properties is also evaluated.