10153885AeroMask: Development of masking for REACH-compliant Hardide CVD W/WC coating to replace Hard Chrome plating on 3D shapes and thin wall aerospace componentsActiveLegacy Department of Trade & IndustryInnovate UKIn this project, Hardide coatings which are the leading global innovator and provider of advanced tungsten carbide/tungsten metal matrix composite coatings deposited through Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) are developing a new masking compound which can be used to mask areas on aerospace components during its coating deposition process. With CVD being a non-line-of-sight process, selective coating of intricate parts can be challenging, necessitating the masking of areas which do not require coating to be deposited. With Hardide coatings being unique there is currently no readily available masking compound which can be employed, the only practical option is hard metal masking, which can be both time consuming and provide limited effectiveness. Through this project, Hardide will be developing an effective masking compound compatible with the CVD process chemistry and high temperature, suitable for selective coating application at a production scale, and easy to remove after coating, whilst being practical and economical to use. Characterisation testing will be conducted in preparation for its qualification by aerospace supply chain.