Fully automated temporary maskants 24 August 2022

Dymax has helped MTU Aero Engines to successfully use its easy to apply SpeedMask® temporary maskants for its engine components using programmable robotic arms.

Surface treatment is a key manufacturing process used on aero engine parts. In this process, certain surfaces must be temporarily masked to protect them from inadvertent treatment during the process. For a long time, maskants were manually applied by affixing adhesive tapes, silicone rings, masks, or metal covers, all of which required time and care. Growing product demand and increasingly complex shapes made it challenging for MTU to provide a precise and cost-effective temporary protection for sensitive component surfaces.

Dymax SpeedMask® maskants are easy to apply, even to complex shapes and geometries. The maskants also offer properties to withstand high temperatures during finishing processes. Moreover, Dymax maskants can be integrated into automated dispense and curing systems.

"Several hundred components in our portfolio undergo various surface treatment processes during their production, such as thermal coating, shot peening or electroplating. The Dymax SpeedMask® masking processes can be adapted quickly and easily for this, resulting in significant time savings in our production process,” says Thomas Kaltenecker, production planner at MTU Aero Engines.

Programmable robotic arms, together with the Dymax SpeedMask®, apply the light curing material to the component quickly and precisely with various dispensers. A brief exposure to UV light at the proper intensity and wavelength ensures that the material cures within seconds. The masking can be removed after going through the various surface treatments without leaving any residue. This saves manufacturing time and production costs, but also has a positive effect on the sustainability of the process, as the error rate is reduced to almost zero tolerance levels.

"We are delighted that Dymax was able to support a total solution for MTU Aero Engines. Our application engineers, system integration, and internal sales teams worked together to not only provide a great maskant but deliver a fully automated dispense and curing machine. We are happy to continue to support MTU in making them more capable and their process more efficient,” added Virginia Hogan, senior global business development manager at Dymax.

Becca England Assistant Editor t: +44 (0) 1727 615 413

Becca is the latest member to join our team and is eager to get stuck into the world of fasteners. She brings an enthusiastic and fresh outlook on what we do editorially and will be leading our social media activity – including sourcing material, editing articles and posting online.