Off-the-shelf environmental control for part repair

Composite repair solutions and material supplier Heatcon Inc. (Seattle, Wash., U.S.) is offering Deployable Isolation Repair Technology (DIRT Bag) products, which Heatcon is manufacturing and distributing through an agreement with Cornerstone Research Group (CRG, Miamisburg, Ohio, U.S.)

According to Heatcon, DIRT Bag provides composite repair technicians with an off-the-shelf solution to provide contamination and environmental control during the repair process. During damage removal, the DIRT Bag is said to keep contaminants from entering the surrounding environment and can be used with HEPA vacuum systems. DIRT Bag can also be used during the repair layup or curing process to keep outside contaminants from entering the repair area, and can be used with environmental control units that provide temperature and humidity controlled air to the enclosed area.

The DIRT Bag is used by both military and commercial aircraft repair organizations, is listed in Boeing structural repair manuals and the F-35 General Use Consumables List (GUCL), and can be used for other applications where contamination control is needed, Heatcon says. It can be set up in minutes and can be customized for each repair or coating removal situation.

The product features include:

• A self-adhesive seal
• Custom placement of hand ports and hose ports
• 360-degree clear viewing area
• Reduction in maintenance costs
• Wind and environmental contamination resistance
• Containment of repair debris
• Temperature/humidity control when coupled with an ECU
• Suitablility for use with dust extraction equipment.