U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Government Website

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Safely connect using HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Publication Library
  4. Wing-to-Fuselage Cutting Apparatus

Wing-to-Fuselage Cutting Apparatus

Body

A tool to precisely and safely cut wing-to-fuselage attachments to prevent corrosion damage on aircraft.

Corrosion damage between contacting surfaces, also known as fretting, occurs on aircraft between the primary wing and the fuselage. Load stress and vibration between the two components degrades the quality of the surface, reducing the reliability and safety of the aircraft. Manual filing with tools like draw files and hand-held grinders can repair fretting and eliminate interference, but the limited control of these methods can potentially damage the airframe. Removing the wing from the aircraft body for repair prevents airframe damage, but this approach is expensive and time consuming.

The wing-to-fuselage cutting apparatus addresses these maintenance challenges for wing-to-fuselage attachments. The apparatus mounts to the aircraft and allows an operator to fine-tune the allowed depth, width, and length of material that can be cut. The tool enables safe and accurate repairs that alleviate contact fretting in a timely and cost-effective manner, without needing to remove the wing from the aircraft.

Technology Category Infrastructure Resilience & Security
Stage of Development Proven System
Inventor(s) Mark Midyette
Craig Deen
Harlon Parchmen
US Patent number US11,052,501US11,446,779
Partnerships Sought License
DHS Component U.S. Coast Guard
Contact Information T2C@hq.dhs.gov

For a more detailed description download the PDF below.

Attachment Ext. Size Date
Wing-to-Fuselage Cutting Apparatus PDF 1.44 MB 06/06/2024
Last Updated: 07/08/2024
Was this page helpful?
This page was not helpful because the content