IN REMOVING PAINT FROM FIBER COMPOSITE COMPONENTS, TRADITIONAL PROCEDURES SUCH AS PLASTIC BEAD BLASTING HAVE BEEN SHWON TO LEAD TO REMOVAL OF THE GEL COAT, EXTENSIVE FIBER BREAKAGE AND MATRIX DEBONDING WHICH RESULTS IN LOSSES OF UP TO 30% IN THE

IN REMOVING PAINT FROM FIBER COMPOSITE COMPONENTS, TRADITIONAL PROCEDURES SUCH AS PLASTIC BEAD BLASTING HAVE BEEN SHWON TO LEAD TO REMOVAL OF THE GEL COAT, EXTENSIVE FIBER BREAKAGE AND MATRIX DEBONDING WHICH RESULTS IN LOSSES OF UP TO 30% IN THE MATRIX-DOMINATED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND MINOR LOSSES IN THE FIBER-DOMINATED PROPERTIES. VERY RECENT PRELIMINARY RESULTS ACHIEVED BY US INDICATE THAT THE USE OF ULTRASONIC PAINT FRACTURE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REMOVE PAINT FROM COMPOSITES WITHOUT LOSS OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO AUGMENT PRELIMINARY RESULTS IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPMENT OF A HAND-HELD ULTRASONIC TOOL FOR USE IN REMOVING PAINT FROM RESIN-BASED FIBER COMPOSITES WITHOUT ALTERATION OF THE BASIC MECHANICAL AND/OR STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF THE COMPOSITE. PHASE I EFFORT IS DIRECTED AT QUANTIFICATION OF THE PHENOMENA AND DESIGN REQUIREMENTS WHILE PHASE II DEVELOPMENT WILL FOCUS ON OPTIMIZATION OF THE TECHNIQUE IN THE ACTUAL WORKING ENVIRONMENT.