Metco arc metallizing guns apply nonskid coating of aluminum to helicopter deck.
The U.S. Navy is testing a non-skid deck coating system based on arc-sprayed aluminum applied to helicopter deck areas. The system may last for years. It costs approximately $3.00 per square foot, including material and application, and will postpone major maintenance for at least five years.
The coating system has already logged five years of sea duty on the USS Truett and is still in excellent condition. Now the Navy has expanded its test program to the USS Hewitt, making the Hewitt the first "air capable" ship to have a full flight deck covered with the new non-skid coating. Three additional Navy ships are scheduled to receive the coating system. It has civilian potential also, especially on metal walkways, which can become slippery when wet.
The non-skid system is applied by using off-the-shelf materials and equipment from Metco Inc. of Westbury, N.Y. As specified in the Navy's Technical Manual "Corrosion Control for Shipboard Launch and Recovery Systems," it consists of an arc-sprayed aluminum coating plus two seal coats of Metcoseal SA sealer. The aluminum is supplied in wire form by Metco, and is applied with two Metco spray guns.
The goal is a non-skid coating that will last at least five years without major maintenance. This is more than double the service life of some coatings now in service.
The aluminum coating system is easy to apply. A standardized procedure is followed. First step is to prepare the deck surface by sandblasting a five-foot-wide strip that is arc-sprayed the same day with a 6-mil cover coat of aluminum for corrosion protection. The arc-sprayed aluminum is applied immediately after the sandblasting so that moisture or other contaminants cannot form and weaken the bond between the coating and deck. This 6-mil cover coat is then followed with a 20 to 25 mil "high profile" coat. The heavier coating is sprayed so as to produce a surface profile that is as rough as possible in order to accentuate the non-skid character of the coating. As the final step in the coating system, the sprayed aluminum is sealed for greater corrosion resistance with two coats of Metcoseal SA silicon alkyd sealer. The Navy then applies a strontium chromate primer followed by an appearance of the traditional "battleship" grey.
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