"Much like our aviation window restoration system, our new wet area polyurethane protective tapes have been engineered to help customers protect aircraft and extend their service life, ultimately saving critical budget funds."
ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Substructure corrosion in aircraft areas exposed to recurring moisture,
such as lavatories, galleys and doorways, is a major industry challenge.
Replacing floor panels and beams in the substructure extends downtime
and can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000 per aircraft, making
protection a high priority.
3M Aerospace is responding to this need by making the protection of
these “wet areas” easier with the introduction of improved 3M™
Polyurethane Protective Tapes that cover the seams in floor panel
joints and wide-area tapes to protect larger areas exposed to moisture.
These flame retardant tapes provide an excellent, durable moisture
barrier with a long service life. 3M wet area protection tapes are
constructed of an extremely tough, puncture-resistant thermoplastic
elastomer coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. The tapes provide a
durable and flame-resistant barrier that prevents costly corrosion
damage to aircraft floor systems, and can be installed easily and
quickly for a variety of applications, including seam sealing, wide wet
area protection and beam protection. High elongation gives the tapes
excellent conformability, providing effective coverage of contoured
areas, and their dual liner construction results in better productivity
and fewer wrinkles or bubbles during application. Furthermore, the
transparency of the seam sealing tape allows for easy visual inspection
of floor panel sealants.
The tapes also meet the FAA’s expected new policy statement for 14CFR
25.853 that will provide standardized testing and establish acceptable
methods of compliance for flame resistance. 3M has played an important
role in the development of this policy statement, as 3M Aerospace
engineer Patrick Zimmerman, Ph.D. is an active participant of the FAA
working group. The new polyurethane protective tapes will be introduced
at Aviation Week’s MRO Americas Conference, April 3-5 in Dallas,
Tex., at the 3M Aerospace booth, number 1655.
In additional news for the department, the 3M™
Aviation Window Restoration System by Clearfix Aerospace was
recognized as a finalist in the Aviation Week Innovation
Challenge, held in early March in Washington, DC. The aviation window
restoration system is an easy to use, three-step process that solves
safety issues around window clarity while considerably reducing aircraft
downtime and window replacement costs. The system removes scratches,
hazing and other imperfections from acrylic and polycarbonate aircraft
windows, restoring clarity and keeping windows looking factory-new.
“These two aircraft solutions are perfect examples of the time- and
money-saving innovations that 3M Aerospace consistently works to
develop,” said Sean McAfee, 3M Aerospace Sales & Marketing Manager.
“Much like our aviation window restoration system, our new wet area
polyurethane protective tapes have been engineered to help customers
protect aircraft and extend their service life, ultimately saving
critical budget funds.”
Find more information about 3M Polyurethane Protective Tapes and the 3M
Aviation Window Restoration System at 3M.com/Aerospace.
About 3M Aerospace The 3M Aerospace and Aircraft
Maintenance Department is a leading supplier to the global aerospace
industry, providing innovative products and solutions to OEMs and MROs
in the commercial, business, general, and military aviation industries.
For information about the 3M Aerospace and Aircraft Maintenance
Department visit www.3M.com/Aerospace.
3M is a trademark of 3M Company.
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