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Installation Time Analysis for GORE® SKYFLEX® Aircraft Sealant
One of the benefits of GORE® SKYFLEX® Aircraft Sealant is the maintenance time savings it offers due to decreased installation time and no cure time. A typical panel installation using traditional sealant takes up to 130 minutes for each panel removal cycle, plus an additional 6 to 48 hours for sealant curing. The typical time estimate is derived using the following:
- Scraping off and cleaning old sealant: 45 minutes
- Masking panel and mixing polysulfide sealant: 15 minutes
- Applying sealant: 15 minutes
- Cleanup: 15 minutes
- Cure time: 6-48 hours
Installation Time Analysis
| Traditional Sealant |
GORE® SKYFLEX® Aircraft Sealant - first install |
GORE® SKYFLEX® Aircraft Sealant- subsequent installs (if repair needed) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Scraping off and cleaning old sealant | 45 min. | 45 min. | 5 min. |
| Masking panel and mixing polysulfide sealant | 15 min. | 0 min. | 0 min. |
| Applying sealant | 15 min. | 20 min. | 5 min. |
| Cleanup | 15 min. | 0 min. | 0 min. |
| Cure time | 6 - 48 hours | 0 min. | 0 min. |
The first time SKYFLEX sealant is applied to a panel, the installation time is larger than subsequent installation/ removal cycles. This is due to the fact that the panel previously used polysulfide sealant; this sealant must be removed prior to application of the new sealant, just as with the use of traditional sealant. However, once SKYFLEX sealant has been used on a panel, subsequent installation/removal cycles are much quicker. SKYFLEX sealant is reusable and does not need to be replaced during every installation/ removal, so there is no waiting for the sealant to cure. On subsequent inspection of the panel, a portion of the SKYFLEX sealant may need repair if it has been damaged. Only the damaged portion of the sealant must be replaced.
A typical initial (first) panel installation using SKYFLEX sealant takes up to 65 minutes for the first installation with no cure time. The typical time required for a first installation of SKYFLEX sealant is derived using the following:
- Scraping off and cleaning old sealant: 45 minutes
- Masking panel and mixing sealant: 0 minutes
- Installing SKYFLEX sealant: 20 minutes
- Cleanup: 0 minutes
- Cure time: 0 hours
Sealant application per panel: polysulfide vs SKYFLEX sealant
The graph below shows the cumulative time required to replace sealant for multiple panel removals. By the fifth time a panel is removed and the traditional sealant is replaced, the cumulative maintenance time required for this activity is 600 minutes. The cumulative time to remove the same panel using SKYFLEX sealant is 65 minutes if no repairs are required. If the SKYFLEX sealant requires repairs, the cumulative time might be 85 minutes. Using SKYFLEX sealant on multiple panels would result in additional maintenance-hour savings.
