| Sol No.: |
Navy SBIR FY2006.2 |
| Topic No.: |
N06-132 |
| Topic Title: |
Improved Approaches to Nondestructively Test Marine Aluminum Structures |
| Proposal No.: |
N062-132-0123 |
| Firm: |
Space Micro Inc.
10401 Roselle Street
Ste. 400
San Diego, California 92121-1526 |
| Contact: |
Carl Edwards |
| Phone: |
(858) 332-0704 |
| Web Site: |
http://www.spacemicro.com/ |
| Abstract: |
The use of aluminum alloys in marine vessels introduces new problems in the maintenance of structures. Steel has a `fatigue limit'. This means that if the stress is moderately low, the structure will never fail by fatigue. Aluminum alloys do not have such a limit, meaning that these alloys can eventually fail by fatigue regardless of how low the stress was in the part. Corrosion of the part can increase the rate of failure. |
| Benefits: |
Our initial planned product is for an aluminum inspection system (AIS) and to prepare a preliminary data sheet later in the development cycle. Our overall business strategy is to develop the AIS as a commercial system and to exploit this technology with derivative products that may be licensed to other companies or produced and marketed internally. Our initial commercialization efforts during the SBIR Phase I will focus on U.S. DoD applications for the Navy and Marines and conducting marketing presentations explaining the merits of our technology. Every group within the US Military that employ exposed aluminum are potential customers for this system. Further as a this technology is transferred to non military applications in the future, applications for this system may be found among commercial ship and airplane manufacturers. |