Last Updated: June 18, 2019
AFWERX awarded a Phase I SBIR contract to Fairmount Technologies this March. AFWERX is the new rapid innovation program at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Per the contract FT met with AFSC personnel at both OC-ALC at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma and WR-ALC at Warner Robins AFB in Georgia. With assistance from AFSC depot personnel, structural airframe parts were identified and manufactured using tool-less Stretch Roll Forming (SRF) technology.
As an advanced manufacturing technology, SRF allows for one-off stretch-formed parts to be made without tooling. This innovation decreases costs and lead times while increasing aircraft readiness. FT successfully demonstrated SRF forming of OC-ALC part sets. The Phase I contract resulted in two signed MOUs from both air bases in support of an AFWERX Phase II effort for SRF testing with the goal of insertion at their depots. Success would move the Air Force closer to its goal of 100% parts availability as part of its Rapid Aircraft Sustainment Efforts.
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