Mon, Jan 11, 2010
Contract Awarded To Picometrix For Phase II Research
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a Phase II SBIR contract to
optical products maker Picometrix to develop a prototype terahertz
quality control system for it's variant of the F-35 JSF. The system
will be based on the patented fiber-coupled T-Ray 4000 instrument,
and utilized to ensure the proper fit of the coated exterior
surfaces of the jet. This contract is a continuance of the
successful Phase I SBIR feasibility work completed in 2009. The 24
month Phase II contract is valued at $3 million, with an option for
an additional $1.5 million, exercisable at the Air Force's
discretion. If successful, the Phase II dedicated T-Ray 4000
prototype system would lead to deployment of multiple production
systems in Phase III.
The handheld scanner developed under this Phase II SBIR will be
a plug-in accessory to the system, making it an option for the
company's T-Ray 4000(R) instrument. The scanner could facilitate
additional applications which would open new markets. This
technology could be utilized for any aircraft, not just the F-35,
and could be adapted for other applications including: measurement
of coating thickness, subsurface inspection, surface topography
measurements, measurement of coating tapers, and coating cure
states. A handheld scanner could also be applicable for homeland
security applications such as airport personnel scanning for
explosives and suicide bombers.
"The application of our T-Ray 4000 product platform to help
solve the difficult manufacturing challenge posed by the next
generation military aircraft is a potentially significant
opportunity to deploy multiple systems for the manufacturing and
maintenance of the F-35 throughout its life. We believe this is
just the first of many manufacturing quality control and process
control opportunities for our T-Ray product line in a variety of
markets," commented Richard (Rick) Kurtz, CEO of Advanced Photonix,
the parent company of Picometrix.
With one focus of the JSF program being affordability --
reducing the development cost, production cost, and cost of
ownership of the JSF family of aircraft, Picometrix says the T-Ray
4000(R) nondestructive testing system deployed in Phase III would
significantly improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs on
the expensive process of installing the coated doors and panels on
the F-35, in line with the affordability focus of the JSF
Program.
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