ARP6167 - Etching of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) insulated wire

Details Not available for purchase at this time. Document Number: ARP6167 Project Initiation: 11-16-2010 Project Number: Revision Number: Sponsor Name: Mark Lee Title Etching of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) insulated wire Scope Developing an ARP for the etching of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) insulated wire to ensure that all facets of the process from the chemistry to the processing, to the storage and handling are well defined. Rationale There currently is no written specification for etching of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) insulated wire and because of that, there are many aerospace companies that do not know how the process works, how to handle and store the wire when etched or how to properly call out what is acceptable. We have found that companies are not following the process instructions for using the etching chemicals. Companies that are supplying the etching services are not testing the insulation after processing to determine whether the bond is good or not. There is an opportunity to quickly check the material at the user level after the material has aged once proven the bond was good that needs to be justified and then described for future information. There is a shelf life after the process has been completed that companies are not advising the users of. There is a shelf life for the actual etching chemical once opened and also one type needs to be kept under refridgeration. We have found PTFE wire insulators that may be etching the material properly, but are stretching the small gauge copper conductor causing higher resistance than the wire specification allows.

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