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Corrosion Prevention and Control


Mission

To establish a comprehensive CPAC program to extend the useful life of all Marine Corps tactical ground and ground support equipment, and to reduce maintenance requirements and associated costs through the identification, implementation, and development of corrosion prevention and control products, materials, technologies and processes.  The use of these technologies and processes will repair existing corrosion damage and prevent, or at least significantly retard, future corrosion damage on all Marine Corps tactical ground and ground support equipment.

For more information, contact CPAC.

 

Program Elements

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 CONTROLLED HUMIDITY PROTECTION

CHP is a field-tested, time-proven maintenance technology that is designed to eliminate moisture-induced damage and the resulting sustainment costs. Modern technology has made this concept applicable to equipment throughout its spectrum of operation and its lifecycle. By maintaining relative humidity (RH) below 50%, the adverse effects of humidity are eliminated, including rust, mildew, mold and moisture. Above 50% RH the rate of corrosion growth shifts from linear to exponential. A CHP system is an environment stabilization system with four major components: air dehydration units, air distribution equipment, shelter/hull and a control system. The shelter/hull component can be tailored to meet operational requirements in the most cost effective manner. Examples of shelter/hull configurations include LAVs, tanks, metal and tension fabric shelters, and existing buildings. This program is designed as a means to evaluate and approve CHP technologies for operational and storage applications. Dehumidified protection is the preferred method of storage. The deferral of preventative maintenance checks and services for equipment stored in CHP is authorized as defined in the CPAC Handbook.

Equipment Storage Methods

NSWCCD is performing a limited research and development task aimed at determining the potential reduction in corrosion resulting from protected storage methods at each of the MEFs. In this study, warehousing or garaging showed a reduction in corrosion by a factor of 65X over uncovered storage for corrosion test coupons. The first year's data collected at Camp Lejeune tracked corrosion of steel in an open lot, under roof cover only, in a warehouse and in dehumidified storage. Corrosion rates were:

  • Open lot = 1.31 mils per year
  • Under cover = 0.55 mils per year
  • Warehouse = 0.02 mils per year
  • Dehumidified = 0.01 mils per year

While dehumidified storage has demonstrated reductions in corrosion maintenance costs for the National Guard, substantial initial investment and continuing costs (electricity and dehumidifier maintenance) are required to achieve this benefit. The preliminary test data suggests that garaging alone will show similar or equal benefits.

Facility Identification - Facilities will be identified or purchased for garaging a minimum of 10-12 HMMWVs and 5-ton trucks at Camp Lejeune and/or Kanahoe Bay. As part of this effort, an evaluation of using covers with detachable dehumidifier hoses for individual vehicles or groups of vehicles will be conducted.

Vehicle Documentation and Coupon Installation - The condition of vehicles intended for garage storage and an equivalent amount to be stored outside will be documented. Corrosion monitoring coupons will be installed on both sets of vehicles.

Performance Monitoring - Both sets of vehicles will be monitored for corrosion performance for a period of up to 3 years. Sets of coupons will be removed yearly and measured to quantitatively determine differences in the corrosivity of the environment to which the vehicles were exposed.

Storage Method Analysis - The data collected will be analyzed to determine the most cost effective method of vehicle storage. Costs to construct warehouses, procure and maintain dehumidification, etc. will be included in the analysis. Results will provide justification for greater MILCON funding for warehousing at all of the MEFs should this be identified as the most cost effective method.

 CORROSION PREVENTION PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS

Objective:  To provide a process which will allow rapid deployment of promising technology with the ability to transition the products to Military Specifications (MIL-SPECs) or Commercial Item Descriptions (CIDs) as necessary. Additionally, the process will allow continuous comparison of currently approved products with those being considered thereby allowing the CPAC program to control, maintain, and update these standards as needed.

Background:  Throughout the USMC, coatings and corrosion preventative compounds (CPCs) are applied by maintenance personnel, Marines, or by the OEM to prolong the life of USMC equipment. The facilities available for this work, which may be located throughout the world, range from open-air parking lots to multi-million dollar coating application operations. Because of the diverse nature of these facilities and the differing requirements for the various locations there is a continuous need for new products, which address these needs.

Currently, new products enter into USMC processes in an uncontrolled manner unqualified products may be purchased locally through a retail source or may be provided directly by the manufacturer. Alternatively, if products are authorized, they may have been authorized for other purposes or end users and may or may not be appropriate for the alternate uses. While many of these unauthorized products are used simply because they are readily available, others fill genuine needs of a particular location (e.g. VOC requirements). The ability to obtain official recommendations for these products is difficult or impossible with current coating testing processes in the CPAC program.

In general, this process requires that the need for a coating or CPC be determined by CPAC or an end user before testing can begin. Then, funding must be obtained from the CPAC program, or other sources, to perform the testing. Typically, full testing for a coating will take at least a year to complete at this level. The creation of a specification will frequently take two to three years because of additional testing requirements. This causes a serious problem for ISO certified organizations, which require that authorized procedures be maintained for all of their processes. A process with quick turn-around and effective screening capabilities is required to address the shortcomings of the current process. The CPPM will fulfill this role for the USMC.

1. Develop test matrices for four product types (e.g. primer, topcoat, underbody coating, CPC) which include actual testing requirements and acceptance criteria. Provide report outlining the test matrices.

2. Solicit CPAC customers for potential products.

3. Begin Need Based testing. Perform literature search, determine NEHC requirements, and perform laboratory testing on up to six products. Report as testing is completed.

4. Develop documentation MIL-SPECs and CIDs will be created as necessary to support implementation of products in technical documentation.

Click here to review the CPPM Process and Product Submission

 CORROSION SERVICE TEAM & CORROSION REPAIR FACILITY

Background. The Marine Corps acquires, operates, and maintains a vast array of ground combat equipment and components. High operational-tempo and high equipment-to-maintainer ratios have minimized available time and resources for corrosion-related preventative maintenance services on equipment. The result is a decrease in system readiness and often times a maintenance backlog. One alternative that was reviewed at the DoD level was the implementation of Corrosion Service Centers (CSCs). A December 2003 report to Congress on the Long-Term Strategy to Reduce Corrosion and the Effects of Corrosion defined a CSC as a facility which "Provides comprehensive corrosion-related preventive maintenance in an on-base facility (avoiding transport to depot maintenance activities). Applies corrosion inhibited washing. Preventive compound application, vapor-phase corrosion inhibitor, surface preparation, and anti-corrosive and chemical agent-resistant coatings." The CSC concept as described in the report closely resembles the Marine Corps Corrosion Repair Facilities (CRFs) currently operational within the Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEF) and several subordinate commands. CRF(s) have been in service since the 1990s and are geographically located to provide the best possible support to the Force Commanders. The capacity and mission of a CRF is to perform corrosion repair at the intermediate level which limits the amount of equipment that flows through a CRF any given year. Currently, CRF(s) service approximately 6% of the Marine Corps equipment within its geographical location. The cost to transport items to Depot Maintenance Facilities is excessive in comparison to the cost to operate a local Corrosion Repair Facility.

The CPAC Program Office has addressed the question of how to provide the next level of support directly to the war-fighter, thereby supporting the remaining 94%. The CPAC PM has determined that a corrosion prevention requirement definitely exists. In order to provide the next level of support, the CPAC Program Office implemented Corrosion Service Teams designed to provide direct support to the organizational commander. These teams operate from mobile systems that provide all the tools and equipment needed to service equipment at the unit, eliminating the need for the Marine to deliver equipment to a fixed facility for servicing that can be completed on-site. This approach reduces the logistics support requirements on the unit and provides an opportunity to service 100% of the unit’s equipment in a reduced time frame for less cost.

Discussion. The following paragraphs provide information on the corrective and preventive maintenance services available that are available to the local commanders today.

Corrosion Repair Facilities (CRFs):

The CRF's mission is to provide intermediate through limited depot maintenance activities to include body repairs, corrosion repair and protection, as well as complete or spot painting of all Ground Combat and Support Equipment of the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF).

CRFs repair equipment and vehicles from Communications, Engineers, Motor Transport, and the Ordnance communities. In addition to supporting the MEF, CRFs provide support to other Services within the geographical area as requested. If CRFs did not exist, vehicles and equipment would go without repainting and corrosion repair for a longer period of time, primarily due to the unavailability of local services and transportation cost. Without the efforts of a CRF, equipment would deteriorate more rapidly, requiring replacement years sooner.

Corrosion Service Teams (CSTs):

The mission of the Corrosion Service Team is "To provide Marine Force Commanders with the capability to combat the effects of corrosion on Marine Corps Ground Combat Equipment within the organization and to extend the time between required repairs at Corrosion Repair Facilities.

Marine Corps Corrosion Service Teams are the means for implementing the set of corrosion control procedures for organizational corrosion activities and preservation defined in TM 4795-12/1. The CST services are being implemented via mobile equipment and personnel. These teams go to specific lots and work around the Marine's normal work schedule. Corrosion Service Team efforts involve assessing, categorizing, surface preparation, coating and application of corrosion inhibitors on thousands of pieces of ground combat and ground combat support equipment. The program's base-line has been established using the Corrosion Assessment Checklist (CPAC-CAC) developed by the Marine Corps Corrosion Prevention and Control (CPAC) Program Office. The Corrosion Assessment Checklist was presented to the Defense Science Board's Task Force on Corrosion, which indicated that replicating this approach across DoD would provide a solid basis for improvement. Capitalizing on assessments conducted since June 2004, the CPAC Program Office is using the collected data to make fact-based repair and prevention decisions, which would have been impossible without a corrosion assessment. Data obtained from the corrosion assessments is being used by unit commanders to identify candidates for Corrosion Service Team efforts such as surface preparation, spot painting, and the application of Corrosion Prevention Compounds (CPCs). The data may also be used in prioritizing assets to be cycled through CRFs and will assist the Marine Corps in budgeting for corrosion prevention and corrective maintenance dollars, assessing equipment readiness, and identifying corrosion trends and problem areas.

The Marine Corps now has the ability to monitor the effects of corrosion on equipment throughout its life cycle and impact future decisions.

CONCLUSION:

The risk in developing, prototyping, implementing and managing CSTs is low. The Marine Corps has already established and continues to support Corrosion Repair Facilities (CRFs) at Camp Pendleton, CA; Camp Lejeune, NC; Cherry Point, NC; Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan; and Kaneohe Bay, HI. These facilities are government owned and geographically located near the Force Commanders in order to provide a more responsive level of support to the war-fighter. Likewise, the CST's mission is provide corrosion services oriented toward prevention at the organization and to reduce the long term effects of corrosion on equipment when left untreated.

The operational units derive significant benefits from using the CRF. They do not have to incur prohibitively high transportation and repair costs by using depot repair centers outside their geographical location and the quality of the work is consistently high. The same benefits are now being realized through the implementation of CST services that provide direct support to the organization in the battle against corrosion. Both programs complement each other and provide the Marine Force Commanders a complete Corrosion Prevention and Control package, designed to extend overall equipment service life. The return on investment is realized by avoiding the high transportation cost associated with moving equipment to maintenance depots, and the savings associated by not replacing equipment due to corrosion alone.