Patents Assigned to Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9139903
    Abstract: A method of forming a metallic wetting layer on the surface of a metal component is provided, including the steps of placing the component into a chemical vapor deposition furnace, placing a metal-containing salt in the furnace, and heating the component and the metal-containing salt in the furnace to cause the metal from the metal-containing salt to deposit in a coating on the surface of the component forming a metallic wetting layer that improves the metallic bond of a subsequently applied brazing material. The process can be practiced with the addition of a cleaning reagent to both clean and coat in one operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Fairbourn, Richard Patrick Chesnes
  • Patent number: 8262870
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for removing coatings from metal components, such as metal components used in aircraft and other aerospace vehicles and the oil industry, as well as aqueous bath compositions. The metal component may be DC coupled with a counter electrode and immersed in an aqueous bath that includes an active oxygen source and a ligand in a composition effective to remove the coating. The aqueous bath may include hydrogen peroxide as the active oxygen source and may be maintained in a specific pH range if the temperature of the aqueous bath is controlled. In an alternative embodiment, the composition of the aqueous bath may include a non-peroxide active oxygen source, such as sodium perborate, and be maintained in a different specific pH range. An oxygen sensor may be provided to periodically monitor the concentration of active oxygen in the aqueous bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Fairbourn, Max Sorenson
  • Patent number: 7846261
    Abstract: Methods for cleaning surface deposits, such as sulfidation deposits or dust particles, from a surface bounding an internal passage in a turbine engine component. The surface deposits are cleaned by placing a halogen-containing organic compound, such as a fluorine-containing organic compound, into the internal passage and heating the component and organic compound to chemically react the halogen-containing species in the liquefied and boiling organic compound with the deposits. The temperature is further elevated to vaporize the chemically-modified deposits, which are moved by mass transport through the internal passage and out of the turbine engine component. An optional protective coating, such as a chromium or aluminum coating, may be applied to the cleaned surface of the internal passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Patrick Chesnes, David C Fairbourn
  • Patent number: 7390535
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system and method for applying an aluminide coating constituted by two or more extrinsic metal components on a jet engine component. The aluminide coating is capable of forming a protective complex oxide upon subsequent heating in an oxidizing environment. At least one of the extrinsic metals in the aluminide coating is provided as a first vapor phase reactant from a receptacle coupled by a closed communication path with the reaction chamber of the CVD system and free of a carrier gas. The aluminide coating is formed by the chemical combination of the first vapor phase reactant with a second vapor phase reactant either created in situ in the reaction chamber or supplied by a carrier gas to the reaction chamber from a precursor source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Fairbourn
  • Publication number: 20060057418
    Abstract: Aluminide coatings or layers (14) for jet engine components (10) and a process for forming aluminide layers (14) that include additions of silicon and yttrium. A superalloy substrate (12) of the component (10) is initially coated with a layer of a silicon-containing material. The substrate (12) is then aluminided, for example by a chemical vapor deposition process, and is exposed to a yttrium-containing material during the aluminiding process to form the aluminide layer (14) containing silicon and yttrium. A ceramic thermal barrier layer (24) of yttria-stabilized zirconia may be optionally applied over the aluminide layer (14). Another optional zirconia layer (26) maybe provided between the aluminide layer (14) and the ceramic thermal barrier layer (24). The present invention provides a silicon- and yttrium-containing aluminide layer (14) having improved durability, either as a standalone environmental coating or as a bond coat for a subsequently-applied ceramic thermal barrier layer (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David Fairbourn
  • Publication number: 20050000425
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system and method for applying an aluminide coating constituted by two or more extrinsic metal components on a jet engine component. The aluminide coating is capable of forming a protective complex oxide upon subsequent heating in an oxidizing environment. At least one of the extrinsic metals in the aluminide coating is provided as a first vapor phase reactant from a receptacle coupled by a closed communication path with the reaction chamber of the CVD system and free of a carrier gas. The aluminide coating is formed by the chemical combination of the first vapor phase reactant with a second vapor phase reactant either created in situ in the reaction chamber or supplied by a carrier gas to the reaction chamber from a precursor source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Applicant: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David Fairbourn
  • Patent number: 6837985
    Abstract: A system and process for cleaning a hollow interior or a passageway of a metal member including an external container having counter electrode material with a higher potential than the metal member with the counter electrode material being dc coupled to the metal member, and electrolyte passing through the container to contact the counter electrode material and fluidicly coupled into the hollow interior or the passageway of the metal member to clean same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Fairbourn, Max E. Sorenson
  • Publication number: 20040173057
    Abstract: A leach column (10) and method for the separation and recovery of metals from mixtures. The column (10) is adapted to be electrically charged to enhance metal recovery. Particularly, a pair of electrical connections (20), (22) are positioned in the column (10) to create an electrical charge in the presence of a leaching solution (18) and a metal-containing mixture (26) to enhance leaching of the metal from the mixture. In an exemplary embodiment, the leach column (10) is used for the recovery of platinum from platinum-containing coatings on jet engine components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Fairbourn
  • Patent number: 6645365
    Abstract: A system and process for chemical milling or stripping a surface portion and/or surface deposit from metal products, such as chemically milling a metal to remove surface defects and/or stripping non-metallic deposits from a metal surface. The metal product is associated with an electrolyte, such as by being immersed in a tank filled with the electrolyte, such as a diluted acid mixture. A counter electrode having a higher potential than the metal of the metal product is also associated with the electrolyte. The counter electrode is dc coupled to the metal product, or to a conductive component in direct contact with the metal product, such that electric current flows from the metal to the counter electrode due to the difference in the natural potentials of the metal and the counter electrode. The surface portion or deposit is thereby stripped or milled from the metal product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Fairbourn, Max E. Sorenson
  • Patent number: 6605161
    Abstract: A deposition process including applying an inoculant to at least a portion of the surface of a metal component, and then forming an intermetallic layer at the inoculant surface, such as by exposing at least the coated surface portion to a deposition environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Fairbourn
  • Patent number: 6540745
    Abstract: Medical devices, such as scalpels (10), needles (30) and electrosurgical knife tips (50), are provided with a silane coating (20) directly against the parent metal (16, 33, 63) of the tissue-contacting (15) distal ends (14, 37, 60) thereof whereby to impart advantageous non-stick and/or conductive properties thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Fairbourn, Edward A. Loeser
  • Publication number: 20020179191
    Abstract: A deposition process including applying an inoculant (50) to at least a portion (12a) of the surface (12) of a metal component (10), and then forming an intermetallic layer (60, 70, 100) at the inoculant surface (12), such as by exposing at least the coated surface portion (12a) to a deposition environment (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Fairbourn
  • Publication number: 20020108868
    Abstract: A system and process for cleaning a hollow interior or a passageway of a metal member including an external container having counter electrode material with a higher potential than the metal member with the counter electrode material being dc coupled to the metal member, and electrolyte passing through the container to contact the counter electrode material and fluidicly coupled into the hollow interior or the passageway of the metal member to clean same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Fairbourn, Max E. Sorenson
  • Publication number: 20020008041
    Abstract: A system and process for chemical milling or stripping a surface portion and/or surface deposit from metal products, such as chemically milling a metal to remove surface defects and/or stripping non-metallic deposits from a metal surface. The metal product is associated with an electrolyte, such as by being immersed in a tank filled with the electrolyte, such as a diluted acid mixture. A counter electrode having a higher potential than the metal of the metal product is also associated with the electrolyte. The counter electrode is dc coupled to the metal product, or to a conductive component in direct contact with the metal product, such that electric current flows from the metal to the counter electrode due to the difference in the natural potentials of the metal and the counter electrode. The surface portion or deposit is thereby stripped or milled from the metal product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Fairbourn, Max E. Sorenson
  • Patent number: 6294072
    Abstract: A system and process is provided for stripping metal oxide scale from metal products, such as stripping iron oxide scale from steel sheet and steel mill products. Steel having iron oxide scale compiling a layer of one or more iron oxide phases is associated with an electrolyte, such as by being immersed in a tank filled with the electrolyte, such as a dilute acid mixture. A counter electrode having a higher potential than steel is also associated with the electrolyte. The counter electrode is dc coupled to the steel, or to a conductive component in direct contact with the steel, such that electric current flows from the steel to the counter electrode due to the difference in the natural potentials of steel and the counter electrode. The metal oxide scale is thereby stripped from the steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Aeromet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. Fairbourn