Thin Film Inerting Enclosure for Out of Chamber Weld Repair of Titanium Structures

A simple method has been developed for providing an inert atmosphere during welded repairs of large and complex titanium parts/assemblies. Rather than placing parts/assemblies in large inert chambers or locally flooding the area to be repaired in the open environment, a “gloved” thin film inerting enclosure was developed to locally enclose and inert the immediate area to be repaired. A positive flow of inert gas purges all oxygen from within the thin film enclosure, resulting in oxidation free welds. Substantial cost savings have been achieved by the successful use of this localized weld repair procedure on many F-22 production parts.