Registration is closed for the Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering for Aerospace and Defense, which was held at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, San Diego, California, August 27-30, 2012, with a side meeting on Cd alternatives for electrical and optical connectors on the afternoon of August 27. This workshop was our fourth to date on sustainable surface engineering technologies.

Since our workshop in February 2011 there had been significant tightening of regulations affecting chromates and other coating materials. 

  • Recent changes in the OSHA rules for minimizing hexavalent chromium exposure in the workplace are creating significant costs and complications at military depots. 
  • New EPA Cr6+ air emissions regulations proposed for early 2012 will decrease the allowable Cr6+ emissions from hard chrome plating, anodizing, chromate conversion and sealing, while at the same time EPA rules will be eliminating the PFOS fume suppressants that allow many platers to meet the current standards.
  • The hexavalent chromium minimization DFARS have come into effect, requiring authorization to use chromated primers and other coatings in new military contracts.
  • The European REACH rules are rapidly expanding the number of surface treatment chemicals that cannot be used in Europe without Authorization.  This could have serious consequences for sales and sustainment of weapons systems in Europe, especially since chromic acid and most chromates are among the first chemicals to require Authorization.
  • The European RoHS law has been broadened to restrict Pb, Cd and Cr6+ on most electronics.

All of this is leading to deselection and loss from the market of many of the most widely-used and effective corrosion and wear protective coating chemicals used on military equipment.  As a result, the need for alternatives that do not have environmental, safety, or occupational health (ESOH) issues, yet are able to match or exceed the performance of currently used materials, is becoming increasingly acute. 

As in our prior workshops, the goal of this workshop was to foster the exchange of information between research organizations, chemical and coating formulators and manufacturers, aerospace/defense repair facilities. The workshop covered all aspects of alternative coatings and surface treatments including:

  • Impact of U.S. and European environmental and health regulations on defense acquisition and sustainment
  • Cd alternatives for components, fasteners, and connectors
  • Cr6+ alternatives for pretreating and sealing, primers, and paint systems
  • Light metal protection, Al and Mg anodizing, anodize sealing, and repair
  • Hard chrome plating alternatives
  • Accelerated test methods and modeling
  • Beryllium alternatives
  • Coating removal

Archived Meeting Agenda and Read-Ahead Materials: 

ASETSDefense 2012: Sustainable Surface Engineering for Aerospace and Defense 

San Diego, CA

Monday, August 27, 2012 

Afternoon Side Meeting

Read-Ahead Materials

Cadmium Replacement on Electrical and Optical Connectors

Briefing Title

Presenter / Organization

1:00 PM

Industrial Options and Chemicals - Zinc-Nickel, Aluminum, EN-PTFE, Black EN Pros and Cons

Mike BarnsteadMacDermid

1:40 PM

Replacement of Cd on Connectors at Radiall

Gerald TredanRadiall

2:05 PM

NAVSEA Usage and Testing

Jerilyn Brunson, Erin LaBarreNAVSEA, Johns Hopkins

2:30 PM 

Standardization and Qualification

Lisa HofferDLA

2:50 PM

Break

Issues for Defense Applications:

3:10 PM

NAVAIR Concerns

Amy FowlerNAVAIR

3:30 PM

OEM Concerns

Joe OsborneBoeing

3:50 PM

Connector Environmental/Galvanic Testing

Steve BrownNAVAIR

4:10 PM

Discussion of RDT&E Requirements

 
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 

7:30 AM

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Session 1: Drivers: Impact on DoD of Environmental and Health Regulations

Briefing Title

Presenter / Organization

8:30 AM

Introduction and Welcome

Bruce SartwellSERDP-ESTCP

8:45 AM

REACH Impacts on Aerospace Materials - U.S. perspective

Scott FetterLockheed-Martin

9:05 AM

 AIA REACH Working Group Update

Scott FetterLockheed-Martin

9:25 AM

Impact of REACH Regulation on the Global Finishing Market - European perspective

Roger EybelSafran, Canada, France

9:45 AM

In-service Corrosion Issues in Sustainment of Naval Aircraft

Ricardo MendozaNAS North Island

10:10 AM

Break

Session 2: RDT&E, Service Testing, Authorization, and Implementation

10:30 AM

Naval Aviation Progress in Implementing Non-Hexavalent Chromium Surface Finishes

Craig MatzdorfNAVAIR

10:55 AM

The Validation and Approval of Chemical Agent Resistant Coatings for DoD Platforms.

John Escarsega, Fred LaffermanARL

11:20 AM

The Nuts and Bolts of Marine Corps Fasteners

Matt Koch, Andy Sheetz, John Repp USMC, Elzly Technology

11:45 AM

Overview of United States Air Force Surface Finishing Activities

Elizabeth BermanAFRL

12:10 PM

Lunch

1:25 PM

Erosion-Corrosion Resistant Coating for Gas Turbine Engine Compressor Airfoils

Greg KilchensteinOSD

Session 3: Reducing Response Time to Regulatory Change

1:50 PM

ONR Structures and Materials Roadmap

Bill NickersonONR

2:15 PM

Using Corrosion Design Models to Accelerate the Transition of Alternatives

Craig MatzdorfNAVAIR

2:40 PM

Corrosion Modeling and Testing of Riveted Aluminum Alloy Panels

Lei Chen, Mark JawarowskiUTRC

3:05 PM

Break

3:25 PM

The Role of Computational Methods in Sustainable Knowledge-Based Product Development for Aerospace and Defense

Erik SapperBoeing R&T

3:50 PM

Implication of Atmospheric Wetness Levels on Corrosion at a Coating Defect During Accelerated Testing

Jim DanteSouthwest Research

4:15 PM

Technology Transition: The Dynamic Role of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory Coating and Corrosion Offices.

John Escarsega, Fred LaffermanARL

4:35 PM

Using Surface Treatment Specification Databases to Anticipate and Accelerate Response to Regulatory Changes

Will MartinGranta Design, UK

5:00 PM

Discussion

6:00 PM

Networking Reception

 
Wednesday, August 29, 2012

7:00 AM

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Session 4: Coating Systems

8:00 AM

Comprehensive Primer Testing Program

Julia RussellNAVAIR

8:25 AM 

Non-chromate ZVOC Coatings for Steel Substrates on Army and Navy Aircraft and Ground Vehicles

John KelleyARL

8:45 AM

Implementation of  Rare Earth Primers and Pretreatments for Military Applications

Eric MorrisDeft

9:10 AM

AFRL Update on Status of Cr-Free Coating Systems

Mike SpicerAFRL

9:35 AM

Commercial Applications of UV Cured Systems

Dave DiehlRadTech

 9:55 AM

Break

10:15 AM

Status of the UV Cure Powder Coating Demonstration Project

Chris GeibSAIC

10:35 AM

Electrocoat Process for Non-Chromate Primers in Department of Defense Manufacturing

Thor LingenfelterPPG

10:55 AM

Galvanic Corrosion of Aviation Primers

Julia RussellNAVAIR

Session 5: Corrosion Treatments - Cadmium (Cd) and Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+) Alternatives

11:15 AM

LHE Zn-Ni Development and Implementation on Landing Gear at Hill AFB

Dave FrederickUSAF

11:40 AM

Development of Cd Replacement with LHE Zn-Ni on Threaded Fasteners and Components

Jay Randolph, Fred LaguinesES3

12:00 PM

Lunch

1:15 PM

Environmentally Friendly Zirconium Pretreatment for Department of Defense Applications

Thor LingenfelterPPG

1:35 PM

NASA TEERM Hexavalent Chrome-free Coatings for Electronics

Matt Rothgeb, Kurt KesselNASA

1:55 PM

QwikSeal, Pre-Sealed Fastener

Christopher Pavlos, Malcolm ProutySystems Materials Research Corp

2:15 PM

Break

Session 6: Light Metal Protection, Aluminum and Magnesium Anodizing, Anodize Sealing, Repair

2:35 PM

Tagnite PEO Process for Gearbox Overhaul

Bill ElmquistTagnite

3:00 PM

Nano-Technology Self-Healing Conversion Coating for Magnesium Alloys

Jules SenskeUS Army ARDEC

3:20 PM

Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Development of Alternative Cu-Be Alloys

Eric FodranNorthrop Grumman

3:40 PM

Cold Spray for Magnesium Components

Blake Barnett ARL

4:05 PM

Hexavalent Chromium Free Coatings Projects for Aerospace Applications

Chris GiesekingAMRDEC

4:30 PM

Conductive Protective Finishes for Magnesium

Debbie MaguireEMI Quality Plating

4:50 PM 

Modified Anodic Aluminum Oxide Finish for Enhanced Chrome-free Paint Adhesion and Polymer Bonding

Jude RungeCompCote Inc

End of Day

 
Thursday, August 30, 2012

7:00 AM

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Session 7: Hard Chrome Plating Alternatives

8:00 AM

Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Co-P Coatings as a Hard Chrome Alternative

Jack Benfer, Ruben PradoNAVAIR

8:20 AM

Nickel-Tungsten Alloy Brush Plating Alternative for Hard Chromium

Sid ClouserSIFCO-ASC

8:40 AM

Progress in HVOF Adoption - Hill Air Force Base

Doug BallUSAF

9:00 AM

Spallation Resistant HVOF Coatings

Richard Vander StratenES3

9:20 AM

Grinding and Superfinishing - Methods and Specifications

Jon DevereauxNASA

9:40 AM

Chromium Elimination and Cannon Life Extension for Gun Tubes

Frank Campo, Mark MillerBenet Labs

10:00 AM

 Break

10:20 AM

Advanced Gun Barrel Coating Program

Brad Buening, Craig Dampier NAVSEA, PEO IWS 3 Consultant

10:40 AM

Off-Angle Thermal Spray Coating Deposition: Enabling Approach to Coat Small Internal Diameters

Arash GhabchiBoeing R&T

Session 8: Specifications, Standards, Coating Removal

11:00 AM

Development of Life Prediction Models for High Strength Steel in a Hydrogen Emitting Environment

Ed BabcockBoeing Mesa

11:25 AM

Atmospheric Plasma Depainting

Peter Yancey Atmospheric Plasma Solution

11:45 AM

Environmentally Friendly Chemical Coating Removers

Ann LaneBattelle

12:05 PM 

Lunch

1:20 PM

Wrap-Up Discussions

Adjourn Meeting