DoD Maintenance DepotCapabilities andServices

Public-Private Partnerships

DoD Maintenance DepotCapabilities andServices

Public-Private Partnerships

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Table of ContentsOverview 3What Types of Partnering Are There? What Are the Potential Benefits to Industrial Firms?

Aeronautical 5Aircraft Composites Gas Turbine Engines Component Fabrication and Repair

Marine 9Engineering, Testing, and Measurement ManufacturingShip Construction and Repair Marine Equipment Repair

Automotive 13Manufacturing Gas Turbine and Reciprocating Engines Vehicle Repair, Testing, and Calibration

Electronics 17Systems and Equipment Repair Technology Application Antenna Measurement Facilities

Processes 23ManufacturingMetalworking and Finishing Paint and Protective Coating Application and Removal Nondestructive Testing and Failure Analysis Laboratories and Testing Facilities

Appendices 36Location of DoD’s Maintenance Depots Sources for Further Information

A message from the Deputy Under Secretary ofDefense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness

I welcome this opportunity to provide information about the extensive repair, remanufacturing, and

testing capabilities possessed by the depot maintenance activities of the Department of Defense.

Congress has enacted legislation that allows DoD’s maintenance depots to enter into partnership

agreements with commercial and defense-sector firms. Partnering is a key component of the Future

Logistics Enterprise, a set of initiatives designed to transform DoD logistics for the 21st century.

Partnering permits depot maintenance activities to provide goods and services to the private sector,

thus creating unique opportunities benefiting both the government and the participating firms.

This brochure highlights some of the outstanding capabilities at DoD’s maintenance depots that may

be of interest to industry. Aircraft composite repair, stereolithography, numerically controlled manu-

facturing and repair, laser automated decoating, and aluminum ivadizing are among the processes

highlighted in the following pages.

I am personally aware of the tremendous capability—provided in large part by our superb DoD per-

sonnel—of our depot maintenance activities. I consider our ability to offer authorized goods and

services to private-sector firms a win-win situation for both sectors, and I am pleased to make the

enclosed information available for your review. I encourage your interest and look forward to

exploring areas of mutual benefit.

Diane K. MoralesDeputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics and Materiel Readiness)

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The Department of Defense operates 20 majordepot maintenance activities that possess someof the most extensive repair, testing, and reman-ufacturing capabilities in the world. Congresshas enacted legislation that allows DoD’s main-tenance depots to enter into partnership agree-ments with private-sector firms. Following aredepot capabilities that can be covered by suchagreements:

■ Manufacturing: fabrication of parts, assem-bly of components, and final assembly andpainting of end-use items

■ Repair: diagnostics, refurbishment, over-haul and rebuild

■ Technical services: testing and analysis,repair-process design, and in-service engineering.

This brochure highlights both the range anddepth of DoD’s depot maintenance capabilities.It illustrates how these resources can be used tomeet private-sector requirements.

What Types of Partnering AreThere?Arrangements for utilizing the capabilities of adepot maintenance activity can take numerousforms:

■ Teaming or work sharing—Work sharingincorporates a combination of depot andcontractor facilities and employees to pro-duce or repair weapons systems, equipment,and components.

■ Purchasing—Private-sector firms can pur-chase articles or services from DoD’s depots.This applies to goods or services that end upin products sold to the U.S. government orfriendly foreign governments.

■ Leasing—Private-sector firms can leasefacilities at maintenance depots and install

their own equipment, or they can lease facilities and depot-owned equipment. Theleased facilities and equipment can then beused by private-sector firms to producegoods and services for either government or commercial customers.

Partnering agreements can even include barter-ing and “in kind” arrangements. In addition,weapon system program offices may permitaccess by defense contractors to depot facilitiesand equipment as government-furnished property.

What Are the Potential Benefitsto Industrial Firms?With partnership agreements a firm can to gainaccess to

■ economical manufacturing and repair capabilities;

■ a motivated and skilled workforce and amanagement team with extensive repair andmanufacturing expertise;

■ processes that otherwise would require spe-cial use permits (coating removal,plating, etc.);

■ facilities already covered by hazardous mate-rials licenses; and

■ laboratories, centers, ranges, or other facili-ties at maintenance depots for the testing ofmaterials, equipment, models, computersoftware, and other items.

Firms often find partnering with a maintenancedepot to be financially attractive because theycan avoid investment in new capabilities; how-ever, firms may find that longer-term agree-ments justify the investment in their owncapabilities at a DoD depot.

Overview

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DoD has a wide range of repair, testing, andmanufacturing facilities that can be useful toaerospace and aviation industry firms. Salientcapabilities include

■ aircraft composites,

■ gas turbine engines, and

■ component fabrication and repair.

Aircraft CompositesSeveral facilities have complete repair, remanu-facture, and modification facilities for aircraftand non-aircraft bonded-honeycomb andadvanced-composite-structures and components.

■ Advanced composites: the manufacture andrepair of parts and components that utilizeadvanced composite materials.

● Composite repair to metallic structures onand off aircraft

- fatigue cracks

- corrosion grind-outs

- structural enhancements

● Aluminum surface preparation on and offthe aircraft

- phosphoric acid anodizing

Aeronautical- grit blast silane

- grit blast sol gel.

■ Bonded covers, panels, and surfaces: themanufacture and repair operations for partsand component covers, panels, and surfacesthat require high-strength bonding. Depotstypically support a complete workflow inwhich an item is received, inspected, disas-sembled (if necessary), repaired, reassem-bled, inspected, painted, and returned to thecustomer. If manufacturing is required, theitem can be manufactured from drawings orfrom a sample item.

● Bonded honeycomb—DoD aviationdepots can mill honeycomb to specifiedshapes from computer files. Items withdimensions of up to 10x20x3 feet can becut with multiple contours.

● Boron repair—DoD depots can repairadvanced composite material (such asboron) through an advanced laboratorytechnology that has developed into anindustrial repair capability.

■ Plastics: the manufacture and repair opera-tions (including injection molding, resintransfer molding, vacuum forming, and

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fiberglass lay-up) for plas-tic and fiberglass parts andcomponents.

The depots also have numer-ous autoclaves in a variety ofsizes and capabilities to per-form composite repair andmanufacturing. Much of theautoclave equipment is com-puter-controlled, with nitro-gen-purge, temperature, andpressure capabilities for boththermoset and thermoplasticcomposites. This equipmentcan process most current air-craft composite components,including entire wings. Theautoclaves range in size from3x4 feet to 15x55 feet (the

newest autoclave), and canprovide temperatures over750°F and pressures greaterthan 200 psi.

Gas Turbine EnginesDoD has state-of-the-artengine repair and testingcapabilities. Repair capabili-ties include jet engine bladeand vane repairs and refur-bishment of jet and gas tur-bine engine bearings withoverhaul and testing of jet fuelcontrols. Additional compo-nent repair capabilitiesinclude

■ jet fuel and air turbine

starters;

■ auxiliary drives andpower take-off shafts; and

■ specialized tooling forgearbox repair andassembly.

Turbine engine test cells cantest the full range of turbojetand turbofan engines for mili-tary or commercial aircraft.Some cells can evaluate jetengines with up to 100,000pounds of thrust, a mass air-flow of 500 pounds per sec-ond, and fuel flow of 100,000pounds per hour. These cellspossess real-time data-acquisi-tion-and-control systems that

enable production testing for many military andcommercial derivative engines.

Several depots also have engine testing acousti-cal enclosures (known as hush houses). Hushhouses permit the testing of aircraft-mountedturbofan turbojet engines up to maximumpower in an afterburner, and keep noise withinacceptable levels for nearby communities.

Component Fabrication andRepairDoD’s aeronautical depots also have extensivefabrication, overhaul, and testing resources formetallic components and accessories.

■ Cable manufacturing and repair: the repairand manufacture of aircraft cables and har-ness assemblies, employing special skillsand technologies. Depots have unique capa-bility in the areas of laser marking, labeling,wire terminating, terminal molding, harnessbraiding, and wire testing.

■ Precision peening and automatic lance shot-peening: performing precision peening toincrease the resistance of metal againstfatigue. The specialized automatic lancepeening, for example, involves the use of alance extension to get at difficult to reachplaces, such as jet engine dovetails.

■ Pneumatic accessories: extensive overhauland testing capabilities for all types of air-driven accessories, including test cells capable of

● simulating aircraft flight conditions andsustaining heated compressed air to 300psi, 850°F, and 400 pounds-per-minuteflow;

● attaining process air conditions of 800psi, 1,400°F, and 1,400 pounds-per-minute flow;

● fuel component testing using Stoddardsolvent and process air conditions of 600psi, 700°F, and 100 pounds-per-minuteflow; and

● simulating aircraft cabin-to-atmosphericconditions to 100,000 feet.

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MarineThe U.S. Navy shipyards possess a wide arrayof industrial capabilities, including

■ engineering, testing, and measurement;

■ manufacturing;

■ ship construction and repair; and

■ marine equipment repair.

Engineering, Testing, andMeasurementThe Navy’s shipyards provide the full range ofmarine engineering services—from design andanalysis for shipboard electrical and electronicsystems and mechanical marine equipment tostructural and naval architectural services.

■ Marine engineering services: engineeringmeasurement services that support the pre-dictive maintenance of marine equipment,

such as trend analysis for repair scheduling.Marine engineering services can monitor thevibration of equipment to evaluate the condi-tion of bearings, shaft alignment, rotor bal-ance, gear mesh and alignment, and pumpand impeller wear.

■ Heat detection: infrared scanning of equip-ment motor controllers, electrical relays, andswitch panels to detect high-resistance con-nections, ineffective insulation, unequal loadphases, and imminent component failure.

■ Theodolite measuring: precise industrialmeasurement through the use of laser-guidedelectronic theodolites for precise hull loca-tion measurements. The use of electronictheodolites is valuable for large-scale meas-urements and within small confined spaces.The greatest draws for these systems aretheir prefabrication, repeatability, and first-time quality. These capabilities are availableboth on and off yard.

■ Metals testing: comprehensive metallurgicmaterial engineering testing facilities thathave a mechanical testing capacity up to400,000 pounds and can test hardness in thelab and on site.

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and glass-reinforced plasticbow domes and adjacenthull structures.Environmentally controlledbow dome booting facili-ties enable the shipyards toinstall new rubber domeboots for either repairs ornewly manufactureddomes. The plastics andrubber shop facilities andpersonnel are regularlyinvolved in research anddevelopment projects, andare constantly improvingtheir processes.

■ Welding and cutting tech-nologies: the welding andcutting of a wide variety ofmetals using some of thelatest techniques, includinglaser technology for weld-ing and cladding of shipcomponents. Shipyardshave significant experience

● welding a variety ofmetals—alloys, stainlesssteel, aluminum, brass,

bronze, CuNi, Inconel,NiCu, and titanium; and

● cutting metal byemploying differentcapabilities—CNC plasmacutting, CNCthermal cutting(including aircarbon arc,plasma arc, andoxygen lance),and automated cuttingtables.

Marine EquipmentRepairNaval shipyards have exten-sive experience repairing ship-board mechanical andelectrical equipment andmachinery.

■ Mechanical systems: therepair, testing, and trou-bleshooting of all types ofmechanical systems,including

● steam, water, gas, oiland air pumps;

● valves;

● elevators;

● diesel engines;

● forced air blowers; and

● injectors.

■ Electrical systems: theelectrical repair capabilityfor electrical machineryrepair (for example, mod-ern motor or generator(MG) set refurbishment,servicing, and test facili-ties). Facilities can performall required repairs andfull-load testing (including

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Testing includes

● metallographic micro-structuralexaminations;

● metallurgic sample preparation;

● electron microscopy, energy dispersivescanning, and spectroscopy from 5 to250,000 times magnification;

● failure analysis; and

● field investigations.

ManufacturingThe naval shipyards also offer highly developedmanufacturing capabilities.

■ Automated manufacturing: a fully integratedautomated manufacturing facility—the fastener manufacturing cell (FMC)—that contains

● a turning, drilling, milling, threading, anddeburring center with automatic bar-feedcapability; and

● an automated engraving system for traceability.

Innovative features of the FMC include in-process quality inspection and statisticalprocess-control capabilities that allow on-line computer-controlled error compensationduring manufacturing. The cell significantlyreduces the time required to manufacturefasteners. Conventional methods require 1–3

full instru-mentation)on both ACand DCends of theMG set.Naval facili-

ties are certified to performequalizer winding encapsu-lation on 500 kW arma-tures. Vacuum and pressureimpregnation of insulatingresin is also available forcomponents up to 5 feet indiameter. Both stators androtors can be processed,and a team of experienced,highly trained, and certi-fied motor/generator per-sonnel work with on-siteengineering support toensure high-quality results.

■ Antenna restoration facili-ties: unique, stand-alonefacilities that are certifiedfor depot-level repair ofunderwater antennas. Forexample, one facility canrestore and upgrade anten-nas, towed buoys, and con-trol units for submersiblecommunications systems.It has its own electrostaticdischarge– controlled workarea, a controlled accesstransmitter room, hydro-static pressure vessels, avariable lift antenna teststand with integratedground plane, and its ownmachinist area for the manufacture of parts.

hours per fastener at multiple machine sta-tions; the FMC does the same work in only10–30 minutes.

■ Propeller fabrication: can accommodateferrous castings up to 40,000 pounds; non-ferrous castings up to 235,000 pounds.Specially designed multi-axis CNC profilersprovide the ability to machine propellers inexcess of 30 feet in diameter.

■ Propulsion shaft refurbishment: the refur-bishment of all types of propulsion shafts—some shaft lathes have a 60-inch swing andcan handle an 85-foot shaft that weighs up to70 tons—with full computer numericallycontrolled (CNC) capability. Automaticwire-feed welding, state-of-the-art heat treat-ing equipment, and a full complement ofspecialized tooling and equipment minimizeshaft handling and facilitate the heating andinstallation of bearing sleeves.

Ship Construction and RepairThe shipyards can perform a wide array ofstructural construction and repairs. They canmanufacture, forge, bend, cut, and heat-treatalmost any metal. The shipyards also havemetal fabrication experience with ferrous andnonferrous metals.

■ Bow dome maintenance: the replacing ofexisting bow domes with booted bow domesor repair of existing domes. Shipyards canperform all necessary repairs on both steel

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AutomotiveDepot facilities operated by the Army andMarine Corps can repair, remanufacture, andtest a wide array of automotive vehicle sys-tems and components. Specific capabilitiesinclude

■ manufacturing,

■ gas turbine and reciprocating engines,and

■ vehicle repair, testing and calibration.

ManufacturingThe Army and Marine Corps have decades ofexperience operating industrial facilities tomaintain land-based combat and support vehi-cles. Over the years they have developedcapabilities to manufacture parts and compo-nents for a wide variety of automotive vehicles.

■ Flexible computer-integrated manufactur-ing (FCIM): capabilities that provide ameans to manufacture vehicle parts ondemand. For technical data package devel-opment, FCIM offers computer numeri-cally controlled machine toolprogramming, computer-aided design andmanufacturing, and reverse engineering.

■ Rubber fabrication facility: state-of-the-artfacilities equipped with systems, equipment,tooling, and material handling that can per-form injection and compression modeling ofcomponent items, and can fabricate andmold small rubber component items, such asbushings, grommets, boots, bumpers, covers,and skids. One depot possesses a 126,000-square-foot facility to rebuild or remanufac-ture track shoes and road wheels and a12,800-square-foot building to rebuild pneu-matic and radial tires.

Machine shops can also fabricate molds andspecial production machinery, allowing quickerreaction to satisfy low-volume orders quicklyand inexpensively. Facilities include a rubberlaboratory with skilled chemical techniciansand rubber specialists capable of performingphysical property tests.

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Gas Turbine andReciprocatingEnginesSeveral Army and MarineCorps depots repair, reclaim,and overhaul completeengines, as well as their asso-ciated components. Gas tur-bines and vehicular andmarine diesel engines can berebuilt to the original manu-facturer’s performance specifi-cations, at a fraction of a newengine’s cost. For example,depots have a variety ofdynamometers for vehicletesting. These include three-and four-axle chassisdynamometers, engine test

dynamometers from250–5,000-horsepowerengines, in-line dynamometersfor conventional transmis-sions, and 250–1,800-horse-power cross-drivedynamometers for trackedvehicle transmissions.

Vehicle Repair,Testing, andCalibrationLand-based combat systemmaintenance depot capabili-ties include the completemaintenance, testing, andrepair of all tracked andwheeled vehicles.

■ Wheeled and tracked vehi-cle repair: maintenance ona wide variety of automo-tive and ordnance equip-ment. Depot expertiseincludes the full range ofvehicle inspection, repair,rebuilding, and testing.

■ Welding, sheet metal, andmachining: an extensiverange of welding, sheetmetal, and machining capa-bilities. Employed technol-ogy includes tungsten inertgas, metal inert gas, pulse-metal inert gas (armor plat-ing repair), oxygen oracetylene, submerged arc(for amphibious assault

vehicle road wheel repair), heat treating, andautomated flame shape cutting. Sheet metaland machining functions use CNC machines,which reduce time and save material duringrepetitive operations. Sheet metal workincludes vehicle body repair, shelter repair,and equipment for shearing, bending, andhole punching. Machining equipmentincludes micro-precision drilling machinesand CNC milling machines and turning centers.

■ Vehicle test tracks: test facilities that incor-porate paved and dirt test tracks, test ponds,natural terrain, and a test slope (30 and 60percent grades) for testing hill-climbing abil-ity, fuel systems, braking, and other essentialwheeled and tracked vehicle functions.

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ElectronicsDoD enjoys a wide range of resident electronicsqualifications across its depots. DoD depotsprovide a full-spectrum of ground, airborne,navigational, and satellite systems support,including

■ systems and equipment repair,

■ technology application, and

■ antenna measurement facilities.

Systems and Equipment Repair■ Avionics and instrumentation equipment: the

repair and overhaul of cockpit instrumenta-tion, communication systems, and navigationequipment, such as indicators, gyros,Doppler navigation systems, GPS (GlobalPositioning System) navigation systems, andcountermeasure equipment (including radarand infrared detectors and jammers). Someof the available facilities and equipment

include class 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000clean rooms; rate tables flight motion tables;north-seeking gyro test ranges; and burn-intest stands. Among the avionics and instru-mentation resources are

● electro-optical alignments and subassem-bly repair,

● laser bore sight repair and calibration,

● radio frequency (RF) interrogator adjust-ment and repair,

● infrared detector repair and alignment,

● photometric measurement, and

● radiometric characterization (heat meas-urement at specific wavelengths).

■ Radars: the complete repair, overhaul, andtesting for a variety of radar, includingground control approach (GCA), targetacquisition, surveillance, and interrogator(identification: friend or foe). Radar test sitespermit the testing of complete systems usingactual aircraft making an approach on a vir-tual runway 300 feet above the ground.

■ Satellite communications (SATCOM):specialized facilities and equipment that cansupport Cesium/Rubidium time standards,

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perform high-frequency repair up to 44GHz,support satellite antennas up to 60 feet indiameter, repair phased-array antenna panels,and perform precision alignment and testsurface accuracy of antennas. Militarydepots have extensive qualifications to test,repair, and overhaul various SATCOM sys-tems and subsystems. Other SATCOM facili-ties include satellite communicationsantenna test pads, digital communicationssatellite subsystem, facilities, and extremelyhigh-frequency antenna support.

■ Automated Information Systems: the repair,testing, modification, and integration ofcomputerized equipment and peripherals,including test measurement and diagnosticequipment and automated test equipment.Technicians repair, calibrate, modify andalign these highly complex systems at both the depot and the customer’s site.

Technology Application■ Technology insertion engineering (TIE): a

full range of advanced technologies that canbe inserted into operational systems withminimal risk and maximum supportability.Support projects range from analysis anddesign to prototyping, testing, and

production. TIE encompasses three major capabilities:

● Microelectronics—The most advancedmicroelectronic technologies are availablefor low-risk, high-functionality, high-reli-ability use in a variety of systems. Thesetechnologies include hybrids, multiple-chip modules, ASIC, VHSIC, VLSI, gal-lium arsenide, and MIMIC.

● Electro-optics—Electro-optics technologycombines microelectronics and photonicsto transmit information as light. Expertiseincludes lasers, fiber optics, thermalimaging, and infrared technology.

● System technology and integration—Thecoordination of different elements of asystem (with the capability to modernizeelectronic components and softwaredesign, streamline integration, and pro-vide an extendable migration path)ensures flexibility in future technologyinsertion.

■ Flexible computer inte-grated manufacturing:equipment that offers cus-tomers rapid manufactur-ing capabilities forelectronic assemblies. TheRapid Acquisition ofManufactured Parts sys-tem, a sophisticated soft-ware system, controls alloperations in the FCIMfacility. FCIM begins withthe manufacturing engi-neering data capture sys-tem, which uses theInternet to download draw-ings, technical information,

or digital data from cus-tomers. A micro-processprogram runs productionequipment, including acomputer-directed assem-bly, a conformal coatingsystem, a robotic tinningsystem, an in-line cleaningsystem, and a wave solder-ing system. All FCIM pro-grams are developed oncomputer-aided engineer-ing systems, and all equip-ment is fully integratedwith electronic dataexchange.

■ Infrared circuit card diag-nostics and inspection: anew electronics diagnosticsprocess, in which circuitcards are tested usinginfrared imagining. Circuitcard subcomponents haveinfrared “signatures” dur-ing different modes ofoperation. Circuit cards canbe mapped and recordedvia computer infraredimaging. When faulty circuit cards are examinedwith this process, a diag-nostic comparison can be

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made using these uniqueinfrared signatures. Thefaulty subcomponents arethen quickly isolated andreplaced. The electronicsinfrared diagnostics arefast and accurate, whichresults in faster repair turn-around for electronicequipment.

AntennaMeasurementFacilitiesState-of-the-art compactantenna range test facilitiesand radome test facilities canperform pulsed radio fre-quency measurements or con-

tinuous-wave RF measure-ments from 0.5 to 40 GHz.With the depots’ antenna elec-trical testing and qualifica-tions, they can test side-lobelevels, beam width, gain, andbore sight for 8–18 GHzantennas up to 4 feet in diam-eter. Specific capabilitiesinclude

■ RF and digital testing ofradar receivers;

■ test facilities, includingantenna chambers, radarranges, and radomes;

■ testing of high-voltagepower supplies used inelectronic transmitters;

■ thermal analysis; and

■ rheology and mechanicaltesting.

■ Anechoic chambers: cham-bers that support variousantennas and testingrequirements. These cham-bers vary in size and capa-bilities. For example, thechamber at one depotmeasures 28x16x16 feet,has an 18-foot path, and aquiet-zone reflectivityrange (33 dB at 500 MHzto 50 dB at 18 GHz).

■ Vertical planar scanners: systems ideal formeasuring large arrays or reflector antennas.Utilizing state-of-the-art antenna measure-ment instrumentation, these systems provideautomatic setup of scans based on measure-ment parameters and desired output.Measured data can be processed for far-fieldor holographic patterns yielding completecharacterization of the antenna’s performance.

■ Radar measurement facilities: antenna testpattern ranges (including GCA FarfieldRanges) that operationally test and align theantennas, and atmospheric radar test facili-ties that house Digital Ionospheric SoundingSystem equipment.

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Processesand other state-of-the-art manufacturingtechniques.

● Rapid prototyping speeds the develop-ment of new products. Resin models pro-duced directly from a computer-aideddesign (CAD) data file can be used forform, fit, or function testing. In addition,a quick-cast model can be produced tobuild a casting mold for the part. Usingthis combination of technologies, a newproduct can be modeled in resin thenmanufactured in metal by creating the castingpattern and casting and machining the part.

● Pattern making facilities utilize laminatedobject manufacturing to create steel castings.

■ Computer-aided design and manufacturing:numerically controlled programming thatinterfaces with CAD systems. These areanother example of DoD’s flexible manufac-turing capabilities, with software applica-tions generating tool paths with minimaluser input. Further enhancements for thiscapability include the capture of a knowl-edge base from experienced CNC program-mers and machinists. Time savings in CNCprogramming development can be 30 to 90percent.

The depot maintenance facilities possess superbcutting-edge technology capabilities for manu-facturing and repair processes, including

■ manufacturing,

■ metalworking and finishing,

■ paint and protective coating application andremoval, and

■ nondestructive testing and failure analysis.

Many of these processes, laboratories, and test-ing facilities are applicable to multiple weaponsplatforms as well as many commercial indus-trial applications.

ManufacturingDoD’s maintenance depots have facilities thatcan manufacture high-quality parts from ferrousand nonferrous metal in all sizes.

■ Rapid prototyping: the capability to produceprototypes in hoursrather than weeks.These industrialfacilities can pro-duce models andcastings usingstereolithography

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■ Rapid parts manufacturing(RPM): technologies thatpermit the creation ofphysical objects from digi-tal data without manuallygenerated numerical con-trol programs or tooling.Through the RapidPrototype TechnologyAdvancement programfacilitated by the NationalCenter for ManufacturingSciences, several industrypartners have benefitedfrom RPM implementationat DoD facilities. Benefitsinclude reduced downtime, lead-time for neededparts, and program cost.

■ Laminated flex cable:capabilities that provide awide range of services, pri-marily the repair and man-ufacture of laminated flexcable harnesses. Depotstypically work with AWGs(American Wire Gauge) of4 to 30; however, special-ized capability is availablefor as small as 50 AWGswire. For this fine work,the shops perform micro-miniature soldering andemploy 2MCF-certifiedpersonnel. Shops can alsorepair a variety of circuitcard assemblies and have

some manufacturing capability.

■ Foundries: DoD industrialfacilities that can manufac-ture from ferrous and non-ferrous metal high-qualityparts in all sizes. SeveralDoD facilities have pat-tern-making units that create

● high-alloy steel andstainless steel castingsup to 6,000 pounds;

● austempered ductileiron, brass, and bronzecastings up to 1,000pounds; and

● aluminum castings up to 500 pounds.

For intricate shapes, a precision unit pro-duces investment castings to high tolerances.High-alloy steel castings up to 50 poundscan be manufactured, as can brass andbronze castings up to 50 pounds and alu-minum castings up to 30 pounds.

Metalworking and FinishingDoD’s maintenance depots possess a wide vari-ety of metalworking and finishing processes.

Metalworking■ Electron beam welding: precision welding

that uses extremely high energy density tominimize the impact of the heat by produc-ing a small heat-affected zone. CNC capabil-ity allows precise repeatability, and weldcontamination is minimized because theprocess occurs in a vacuum chamber.

■ Heads-up-display (HUD) welding: the real-time analysis of the welding process usingWeld Signature™ analysis. Informationabout the quality of the weld is provided asinstant feedback toa heads-up displayin the operators’helmet. The HUDwelding systemreduces costlyrepairs and rework

of welds, reduces costs associated with analyzing weld data, and increases weld reliability.

■ Laser metalworking: the combined applica-tion of industrial lasers, galvanometric imag-ing systems, and computer control to providea unique combination of precision, speed,and versatility that cannot be matched byany other metalworking technique.

● Laser cutting and drilling—Laser cuttingand drilling provides a smoother edge andbetter accuracy than plasma or oxy-fuelcutting, and at much higher speeds thanwater-jet cutting, machining, or routers,with no tool wear.

● Laser cladding—Laser cladding depositssurface materials onto a substrate usinglaser energy delivered through fiberoptics. With the laser cladding process,repairs can be made on expensive alu-minum components that cannot berepaired using more conventionalprocesses. Even materials that cannot bewelded, such as K-monel, can be clad by laser.

● Laser welding—Industrial lasers canachieve high-speed welding of carbonsteel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium,and dissimilar metals.

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■ Near-dry machining and drilling: a processthat enables the machining and drilling ofmetal structures in a near-dry manufacturingenvironment. This near-dry process reducesthe volume of lubricant, reduces industrialwaste disposal, and speeds processing time.

■ Fluid cell press for sheet metal forming: afluid cell press that can form extremely thinmaterial—0.008 to 0.375 inches thick. Somepresses have two 157.5x63x14.2-inch traysand can produce forming pressure as high as22,000 psi.

■ Water jet cutting: the making of clean preci-sion cuts through various manufacturingmaterials —titanium, aluminum, stainless-steel alloys, glass, ultra-dense plastic, andcomposite materials—without delamination.Water jets cut through materials withoutgenerating localized heat on cutting surfaces;as a result, they avoid thermal distortion andstructural changes. Because the metallurgicstructure of the material is undisturbed,fewer downstream manufacturing operationsare required for the final product.

Metal Finishing■ Advanced metal finishing:

metal finishing capabilitiesthat support manufacturingor reclaim damaged orworn parts. Current depotprocess capabilities include

● chrome, nickel, cad-mium, silver, and goldplating;

● anodizing of titaniumand aluminum;

● conversion coatings foraluminum andcadmium;

● stainless steel passivation;

● black oxide coating;

● manganese phosphatefinishing;

● chromic processes formagnesium;

● and aluminum vapordeposition.

■ Aluminum ivadizing: theapplication of an aluminumcoating (approximately0.5–1 mil thick) by IVDsystems. The IVD systemshave ample capacity for all

parts, from small bolt-sizedpieces to 3x10-foot components.

■ Allison electrophoreticprocess: an aluminumalloy coating process usedfor nickel-base or cobalt-base turbine blades andvanes, as well as for oxida-tion protection in turbineengine environments above 1,900ºF.

■ Physical vapor depositionsputter coating process:application of coatings tocompressor or turbine

■ Wire electrical discharge machining: theprecision machining of titanium and otherhard metals, which provides the requiredfiner surface finishes for weapon systemscomponents. This cutting-edge precisionmachining technology is also useful to themedical and tooling industries.

■ High-velocity electromagnetic metal forming(EMF): the application of electromagneticforces to form metal—for both radial form-ing and sheet forming. Radial forming canbe done either on a die to give a tube a morecomplex shape, or on a smaller tube toswage the two tubes together. With sheetforming, a metal sheet is forced against a dieto give it a more complex shape. EMF cangenerate high cost savings by eliminatingone or more processing steps, combiningassembly or joining operations, and elimi-nating the need for welding (especially inaluminum alloys).

■ Tube bending: the use of a laser coordinatemeasurement machine (CMM) to duplicateexisting tubes on CNC tube benders. Someshops can bend tubes up to 4 inches in diam-eter. The laser CMM can also be used toreverse-engineer from an existing part toproduce an exact duplicate.

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section blades and vanesfor surface protection.Sputter coatings producedunder vacuum deposit verythin layers with very highquality and adherence.Reactive gases, such asnitrogen, may be addedinside the coating chamberto create a TiN coating system.

■ Thermal spray coatings:processes that use thermaland kinetic energy todeposit a raw material ontothe surface of a compo-nent. There are five pri-mary thermal spray

techniques:

● Cold gas spray coatinguses no thermal energyand a tremendousamount of kineticenergy to deposit metal-lic and plastic materials.Because there is anabsence of thermalenergy, the cold sprayeliminates oxide forma-tion in the subsequentcoating, and coatingscan approach densitiesof 100 percent. Theadvantages of cold gasspray are its superiorsurface coverage, supe-

rior surface hardness,and tendency towardless corrosion.

● With flame spray theraw material (a powderor wire) is fed into aflame where it ismelted, formed intomolten droplets, andthen blown toward thesubstrate. The flamespray process can beadvantageous because itis very inexpensive andcan deposit certainceramics.

● When two electricallycharged and continu-

ously fed wires of opposite polarity arebrought together, they are melted by theresultant electric arc. The electric arcprocess is valuable because it is veryinexpensive, the density of the coatings issuperior to flame spray coatings, and thedeposition rate can be upwards of a 100pounds of material per hour.

● Plasma spraying uses ionized gases tocreate high-temperature plasma. Theplasma spray process can produce coatingdensities that approach 98 percent, andany material that has a melting point canbe plasma sprayed. The main advantageof the plasma spray process is that it can

deposit materials with high melting points(such as ceramics) with excellent physicalproperties. Low-pressure (vacuum)plasma spray coatings are applied to tur-bine section components for superior sur-face protection compared to traditionalthermal sprayed coatings.

● The high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF)process for machinery repair sprays apowder onto machine parts at a highvelocity and a high temperature. HVOFyields shorter application times, higherbond strength, lower porosity, and betterwear resistance than other thermal sprayprocesses.

■ Powder coatings: the application of high-performance fluoropolymer coatings in pow-der form, which reduces VOC emissions andnegates oven capacity limitations.Thermoplastic powder coatings comply withenvironmental regulations; exhibit excellent

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resistance to chemicals,solvents, and regents; showexcellent abrasion resist-ance; and form good barri-ers against corrosion.

■ CNC robotic shot peeningsystem: equipment thatshot peens parts using steelmedia of various sizes.Some machines consist ofa 6-axis top-mount robotwith an ID peening lance,an indexing and continuousrotating turntable, a rotaryblast lance, a pressureengine blasting system, adual media reclaim system,and other support compo-nents. The systems alsoinclude a versatile shuttleconveyor loading systemfor automatically loadingand unloading blast booths.

Paint and CoatingApplication andRemovalDefense depots possess anextensive array of environ-mentally friendly techniquesused to apply and removecoatings from land, sea, air,and space vehicles.

Application■ Appliqué coatings: one of

the few alternative paintcoating technologies cur-rently available. Anappliqué is a plastic adhe-sive film and that provideseffective topcoat perform-ance. The use of appliquéas a paint substitute canprovide substantial costsavings because it reducespainting requirements,

repair time (when com-pared to touch-up paint-ing), maintenancerequirements, and haz-ardous waste.

■ One-coat topcoat paintsystems: self-priming top-coats applied to many sur-faces. Topcoat systemseliminate 50 percent of therequired volume of paint,comply with VOC emis-sions regulations, lowercosts, shorten drying times,reduce pot life, and reducesurface imperfections (suchas orange peel).

Removal■ Laser depainting or decoating: a non-intru-

sive and low-kinetic energy ablating processfor the removal of paint or coatings. The depainting process requires minimalsurface preparation or post-process activities,and laser paint removal is efficient and gen-erates less disposable waste than the initialvolume of applied paint. With laser depaint-ing, a pulsed beam of light energy strikes asurface and volatilizes the surface coating.Some depots use a similar process, the LaserAutomated Decoating System, to removecoatings—without damage—from compos-ite, thermoplastic, or metal-substrate aircraftcomponents.

■ Abrasive media blasting: the use of abrasivemedia—soda, carbon dioxide, walnut hull,

wheat starch, plastic bead, and steel bead—to wear the coating off surfaces with a scour-ing action. Select depots use abrasive mediatechnology to remove paint from aluminumand composite aircraft skins and other structures.

■ Water jet blasting: an alternative to tradi-tional cleaning solvents that can be used toremove silicone rubber, abradable coatings,paint coatings, and corrosion. Several ship-yards also use a closed-loop ultrahigh-pres-sure water jet blast for removing paint, rust,or other hull coatings from a ship’s outerhull surfaces. The remotely operated equip-ment strips coatings with water at pressuresas high as 40,000 psi and captures the coat-ings and water for separation and recycling.

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■ Ultrahigh-pressure water jet stripper: aprocess used by depots to remove thermalspray coatings. The system utilizes a 55,000-psi intensifier pump, a six-axis pedestalrobot, and sophisticated nozzle technologyand software to strip coatings with water.Tenacious coatings (such as RTV, abradablerubber, sealants, and metal spray) can beremoved in minutes using only water, whichis recycled through an integral water recla-mation system. Hazardous waste is limitedto what is removed from the part beingstripped.

■ Cryogenic degreasing and decoating: tech-nologies that employ extremely cold temper-atures to cause coatings to become morefriable and induce differential contraction fordebondment of the coatings from surfaces.

This process provides for a more throughcleaning and decoating process.

■ FlashJet depainting: a specifically devel-oped solution to the problem of removingpaint and specialty coatings from aircraftand aircraft components. The Flashjetprocess employs pulsed light energy topyrolyze an organic coating while a streamof CO2 particles cools the substrate andremoves the coating residue. FlashJet offershigh strip rates, damage-free coatingremoval, precision process control, and sig-nificant reductions in maintenance labor-hours, stripping cycle time, and strippingcosts.

Nondestructive Testing andFailure AnalysisMany of the defense depots are unmatched interms of nondestructive testing capabilities andfailure analysis.

■ Nondestructive test and inspection: inspec-tion capabilities that do not require the

destruction or dismantlingof the component. Thesedepot capabilities span theentire spectrum of inspec-tions and include the mostadvanced technologies andmethods.

● Neutron radiographycapable of pinpointingminute amounts ofmoisture and corrosioninside inspected parts,assemblies, or aircraft

● Totally maneuverablefilm and digital infor-mation for both the neu-tron and x-rayinspection systems

● Laser ultrasonic inspec-tion systems

● C-Scan inspection facil-ities with scanningenvelopes up to 15x40 feet

● Real-time x-ray bays forcomponent inspections

● Both on- and off-aircrafteddy current, dye pene-trant, magnetic particle,x-ray, and magnetic rub-ber inspection systems

● Overhead programma-ble robots used forinspecting intact aircraftin real time or on film

● Computerized tomogra-phy, a powerful x-rayimaging method thatovercomes many of thelimitations inherent to

radiographic inspections

● Standard nondestructivetechniques for aircraftundergoing detailedstructural inspections.

■ Failure analysis: the inves-tigation of all manner ofmaterial failures, includingmetals, composites, poly-merics, and ceramics,through the use of scan-ning electron microscopy,metallographic analysis,material analysis, mechani-cal testing, and fracto-graphic analysis. DoD hasmaterial test and evaluationlaboratories capable ofconducting complete failure investigations andanalyses.

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Laboratories andTesting FacilitiesDoD has numerous laborato-ries at its maintenance depotsaround the United States.These facilities perform test-ing and analysis of metals,composites, chemicals, andthe environment.

■ Science and engineeringlaboratories: full-servicetechnical laboratories thatprovide engineering con-sulting and testing servicesto a wide variety of cus-tomers worldwide.

Engineers (chemical, mate-rials, mechanical, elec-tronic, and welding) andscientists (physicists andchemists) supported byengineering technicianshave developed the techni-cal knowledge and skillsnecessary to provide com-plete, integrated engineer-ing and scientific solutionsto support industrial repairand manufacturingprocesses. These processesinclude cleaning, plating,advanced composites,adhesive bonding, metal

joining, foundry opera-tions, and heat treatment.Science and engineeringlaboratories provide thefollowing capabilities:

● Certified chemicalanalysis that permitscritical evaluations ofwater and hazardousmaterials, as well asoils, hydraulic fluids,breathing air and othergases, and metals

● Mechanical and fatiguetesting

● Corrosion testing

● Metallographic examination

● Structural and electronic failure analysis.

■ Materials laboratories: laboratories that canperform mechanical testing of metal alloysand polymeric materials; quantitative andqualitative analyses of metal alloys andpolymeric materials; plating and surface fin-ishing; cleaning; and corrosion preventionprocesses. DoD material laboratories canensure compliance with military and indus-try standards and specifications. Analyticalprocedures, techniques, and equipment iden-tify metal alloying elements and polymericmaterials, evaluation and characterization of

thermal properties, and maintenance andmonitoring of industrial shop processes andindustrial water quality.

■ Test ranges: ranges where DoD can testwhatever it repairs, produces, or remanufac-tures. Land, sea, and air ranges—coupledwith an extensive array of laboratories andtest facilities—are among the unparalleledresources of DoD’s depots.

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Sources for Further Information

AeronauticalAircraft Composites

Gas Turbine Engines

Component Fabrication and Repair

MarineEngineering, Testing, and Measurement

Manufacturing

Ship Construction and Repair

Marine Equipment Repair

AutomotiveManufacturing

Gas Turbine and Reciprocating Engines

Vehicle Repair, Testing, and Calibration

ElectronicsSystems and Equipment Repair

Technology Application

Antenna Measurement Facilities

ProcessesManufacturing

Metalworking and Finishing

Paint and Protective Coating Applicationand Removal

Nondestructive Testing and Failure Analysis

Laboratories and Testing Facilities

Army D

epotsNava

l Air D

epotsNava

l Shipya

rds &

Warfa

re CentersAir F

orce Logist

ics

Centers

Marine Corps

Logist

ics Base

s

CAPABILITY CATEGORY DEPOT

Army Depots703-614-3936

Naval Air Depots301-757-3046

Naval Shipyards and Warfare Centers202-781-3312

Air Force Logistics Centers937-904-1220

Marine Corps Logistics Bases800-952-3352

For Information about other capabilities call:937-656-2741

HAWAII

0 200 Miles

0 100 200 Miles

Norfolk NSY

NADEPCherry Point

MCLB Albany

NADEPJacksonville

Tobyhanna ADPortsmouth NSY

Letterkenny AD

Warner Robins ALCAnniston AD

NSWC Crane

Oklahoma City ALC

Red River AD

Corpus Christi AD

MCLB Barstow

NADEP NorthIsland

Ogden ALC

Puget Sound NSY

NUWC Keyport

Pearl HarborNSY & IMF

AMARC

Location of DoD’s Maintenance Depots

Legend

AD Army Depot

ALC Air Logistics Center (Air Force)

AMARC Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (Air Force)

IMF Intermediate Maintenance Facility

MCLB Marine Corps Logistics Base

NADEP Naval Air Depot

NSWC Naval Surface Warfare Center

NSY Naval Shipyard

NUWC Naval Undersea Warfare Center

For information about specific capabilities at a particular depot, call the followingtelephone numbers:

DoD Maintenance DepotCapabilities andServices

Public-Private Partnerships

DoD Maintenance DepotCapabilities andServices

Public-Private Partnerships