Methods and systems for applying aerodynamically functional coatings to a surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409206-B2
Application number	US-201313875774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2013
Priority date	May 2, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A method for applying an aerodynamically functional coating to an exterior surface is provided. The method includes preparing an uncoated substrate surface to obtain a prepared substrate surface; applying a primer on the prepared substrate surface to obtain a primed substrate surface with a primer layer; applying and curing a basecoat field color to obtain a basecoat field color layer; masking for a basecoat design color on the basecoat field color layer; applying and curing the basecoat design color to obtain a first basecoat design color layer; masking for, applying, and curing any subsequent basecoat design color layers on the basecoat field color layer; applying and curing a clearcoat to obtain a first clearcoat layer; mechanically aero-contouring a plurality of coating edges to obtain an aero-contoured surface; and, applying additional clearcoat to obtain one or more additional clearcoat layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for applying an aerodynamically functional coating to an exterior surface, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing an uncoated substrate surface to obtain a prepared substrate surface configured to receive an aerodynamically functional coating;
applying a primer on the prepared substrate surface to obtain a primed substrate surface with a primer layer;
applying and curing a basecoat field color on the primer layer to obtain a basecoat field color layer;
masking for a basecoat design color on the basecoat field color layer;
applying and curing the basecoat design color on the basecoat field color layer to obtain a first basecoat design color layer;
masking for, applying, and curing any subsequent basecoat design color layers on the basecoat field color layer;
applying and curing a clearcoat on any visible basecoat field color and any visible basecoat design color to obtain a first clearcoat layer;
mechanically aero-contouring a plurality of coating edges to reduce one or more coating edge peaks and coating edge angles of abutting coating edges between the basecoat design color layers, to obtain an aero-contoured surface that retains desired flow characteristics and ensures aerodynamic performance;
applying to the aero-contoured surface additional clearcoat which is cured, to obtain one or more additional clearcoat layers; and,
obtaining a coated substrate surface coated with the aerodynamically functional coating formed by the basecoat field color layer, the first basecoat design color layer, any subsequent basecoat design color layers, the first clearcoat layer, and the one or more additional clearcoat layers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the aero-contouring step comprises the sub-steps of:
using an aero-contouring device to abrade the plurality of coating edges on a pre-aero-contoured coated surface to obtain the aero-contoured surface;
removing with a removal element any color transfer on the aero-contoured surface;
removing with the aero-contouring device any surface inclusions on the aero-contoured surface;
performing a fine abrasion of the aero-contoured surface using a fine abrasion element; and,
cleaning and drying the aero-contoured surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of applying additional clearcoat further comprises applying an optically clear film, either over the one or more additional clearcoat layers or in place of the one or more additional clearcoat layers, to obtain an optically clear film layer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first clearcoat layer and the one or more additional clearcoat layers each have a thickness of from at least about 1 mil, and wherein the optically clear film layer has a thickness of from at least about 2 mils.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aero-contouring step flattens out the one or more coating edge peaks and coating edge angles of the abutting coating edges between the basecoat design color layers.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising after the step of masking for, applying, and curing any subsequent basecoat design color layers on the basecoat field color layer, the step of masking for, applying with a painting technique, and curing one or more special effect design color layers on the first basecoat design color layer or on one or more of the subsequent basecoat design color layers.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface comprises an aerodynamic surface of a structure, the structure comprising one or more of a tail of an air vehicle, including a vertical stabilizer tail portion and horizontal stabilizer tail portions; wings of an air vehicle, including winglets; fuselage of an air vehicle; and nacelles of an air vehicle.

8. A method for applying an aerodynamically functional coating to an exterior surface, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing an uncoated substrate surface to obtain a prepared substrate surface configured to receive an aerodynamically functional coating;
applying and curing a primer on the prepared substrate surface to obtain a primed substrate surface with a primer layer;
applying and curing a monocoat design color on the primer layer to obtain a first monocoat design color layer;
applying and curing a clearcoat on the first monocoat design color layer to obtain a first clearcoat layer;
masking for, applying, and curing any subsequent monocoat design color layers, and applying and curing any subsequent first clearcoat layers, respectively, on the primer layer;
mechanically aero-contouring a plurality of coating edges to reduce one or more coating edge peaks and coating edge angles of abutting coating edges between the monocoat design color layers, to obtain an aero-contoured surface that retains desired flow characteristics and ensures aerodynamic performance;
applying to the aero-contoured surface additional clearcoat which is cured, to obtain one or more additional clearcoat layers; and,
obtaining a coated substrate surface coated with the aerodynamically functional coating formed by the first monocoat design color layer, the first clearcoat layer, any subsequent monocoat design color layers, any subsequent first clearcoat layers, and the one or more additional clearcoat layers.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the aero-contouring step comprises the sub-steps of:
smoothing and sanding the plurality of coating edges on a pre-aero-contoured coated surface via mechanical abrasion with an aero-contouring device to obtain the aero-contoured surface;
removing with a removal element any color transfer on the aero-contoured surface;
removing with the aero-contouring device any surface inclusions on the aero-contoured surface;
performing a fine abrasion of the aero-contoured surface using a fine abrasion element; and,
cleaning and drying the aero-contoured surface.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of applying additional clearcoat further comprises applying an optically clear film, either over the one or more additional clearcoat layers or in place of the one or more additional clearcoat layers, to obtain an optically clear film layer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first clearcoat layer, any subsequent first clearcoat layers, and the one or more additional clearcoat layers each have a thickness of from at least about 1 mil, and wherein the optically clear film layer has a thickness of from at least about 2 mils.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the aero-contouring step flattens out the one or more coating edge peaks and coating edge angles of the abutting coating edges between the monocoat design color layers.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising after the step of masking for, applying, and curing any subsequent monocoat design color layers, the step of masking for, applying with a painting technique, and curing one or more special effect design color layers on the first monocoat design color layer or on one or more of the subsequent monocoat design color layers.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the exterior surface comprises an aerodynamic surface of a structure, the structure comprising one or more of a tail of an air vehicle, including a vertical stabilizer tail portion and horizontal stabilizer tail portions; wings of an air vehicle, including winglets; fuselage of an air vehicle; and nacelles of an air vehicle.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Berry Douglas H
• Davis Scott A

Classifications

• B64C23/065

  at the wing tips · CPC title

• B64C7/02

  Nacelles · CPC title

• B64C5/02

  Tailplanes · CPC title

• B64C3/36

  Structures adapted to reduce effects of aerodynamic or other external heating · CPC title

• B64C1/38

  Constructions adapted to reduce effects of aerodynamic or other external heating · CPC title