Method of refurbishing high value articles

Abstract

A system and method for refurbishing an internal surface of an article of manufacture includes a sputtering unit. The internal surface of the article of manufacture defines an internal cavity. The sputtering unit includes an electrode assembly coupled to a sealing portion. The refurbishing method begins with preparing the internal surface to remove physical damage and contamination. Next, the sputtering unit is interfaced with the article by extending the electrode assembly into the cavity and sealing the sputtering unit to the article with the sealing portion. The internal surface of the article then defines a boundary of a sputtering chamber. A dimensional value is provided that is related to an internal dimension of the cavity. Finally the sputtering unit is operated to deposit material onto the internal surface based upon the provided dimensional value.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A refurbished article of manufacture that is formed from a process comprising the steps of:
 providing a previously used article having an internal surface defining an internal cavity, the internal surface exhibiting physical damage from use;   removing material from the internal surface thereby removing the physical damage and thereby changing an internal dimension of the internal cavity;   determining a dimensional value related to the change of the internal dimension of the internal cavity;   engaging a sputtering unit with the article after preparing the internal surface whereby a sputtering electrode assembly portion of the sputtering unit is placed into the cavity and a sealing portion of the sputtering unit is sealed to the article and the internal surface of the article defines a boundary of a sputtering chamber; and   operating the sputtering unit after engaging the sputtering unit to deposit a sputtered layer of material onto the internal surface based upon the determined dimensional value.   
     
     
         2 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the article of manufacture is a landing gear strut and the internal surface is a cylindrical internal surface of the landing gear strut. 
     
     
         3 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the internal surface is a cylindrical internal surface, removing materials increases an internal diameter dimension of the cylindrical surface to a value that is greater than a specified internal dimension, depositing the sputtered material return the internal diameter dimension to the specified internal dimension. 
     
     
         4 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the sputtered layer is at least 150 microns in thickness. 
     
     
         5 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the sputtered layer is at least 200 microns in thickness. 
     
     
         6 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the sputtered layer is at least 250 microns in thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the sputtered layer is at least 300 microns in thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the sputtered layer is sputtered aluminum. 
     
     
         9 . A refurbished article of manufacture that is formed from a process comprising the steps of:
 providing a previously used article having an internal surface defining an internal cavity, the internal surface having defects from use;   honing the internal surface of the article to provide a cylindrical machined internal surface of the article that is free of the defects and having a machined internal diameter that is larger than a required diameter for the article;   preparing the internal surface to remove contamination due to the machining process and to prepare a surface for a sputtering operation; and   engaging a sputtering unit for the sputtering operation with the article whereby a sputtering electrode assembly portion of the sputtering unit is placed into the cavity and a sealing portion of the sputtering unit is sealed to the article and the internal surface of the article defines a boundary of a sputtering chamber; and   performing the sputtering operation by operating the sputtering unit to deposit a sputtered layer of material whereby the internal surface is reduced to the required diameter.   
     
     
         10 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 9  wherein the article of manufacture is a landing gear strut and the internal surface is a cylindrical internal surface of the landing gear strut. 
     
     
         11 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 9  wherein the sputtered layer has a thickness of at least 150 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 9  wherein the sputtered layer has a thickness of at least 200 microns. 
     
     
         13 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 9  wherein the sputtered layer has a thickness of at least 250 microns. 
     
     
         14 . The refurbished article of manufacture of claim B 1  wherein the sputtered layer has a thickness of at least 300 microns. 
     
     
         15 . The refurbished article of manufacture of  claim 9  wherein the sputtered layer is sputtered aluminum.