NASA SBIR 2012 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
SOLIDICA
5840 Interface Drive, Suite 200
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 - 9515
(734) 222-4680

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
John Sheridan
john.sheridan@solidica.com
5840 Interface Drive, Suite 200
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 - 9515
(734) 222-4680 Extension :102

CORPORATE/BUSINESS OFFICIAL (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
John Sheridan
john.sheridan@solidica.com
5840 Interface Drive, Suite 200
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 - 9515
(734) 222-4680

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 6
End: 7

Technology Available (TAV) Subtopics
Advanced Manufacturing and Material Development for Lightweight Metallic Structures is a Technology Available (TAV) subtopic that includes NASA Intellectual Property (IP). Do you plan to use the NASA IP under the award?
No

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
The goal of this program is to demonstrate the use of UAM to additively build reinforcement structures to reinforce cut outs in larger aluminum structural components. The team will work with NASA to scope a 'generic' opening in an aerospace aluminum structure. UAM will be used to perform two reinforcing activities. Firstly, UAM will be used to thicken the cross section of the aluminum component in a selective manner. This will provide additional stiffness through geometric effects without starting with a large billet of material. Secondly, UAM will be used to embed reinforcing materials (such as SiC fibers, steel wire, carbon fiber) in and around the opening to create a true MMC in the region(s) around the opening. Smalll channels will be machined to receive wire reinforcements. UAM will be used to create an embedded layered structure of embedded fiber around the opening. Mechanical testing of windows will be performed to quantify the increase in mechanical performance.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The initial application of high performance Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing enabled structures will likely be in NASA space structure programs. The innovation focuses on more efficient lightweight metals and manufacturing techniques for launch vehicles and in-space applications resulting in structures having affordable, reliable, predictable performance with reduced costs.

A secondary NASA application is in lightweight internal components, such as thermal management devices used in spacecraft.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The innovation focuses on Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing fabrication of more efficient lightweight metals and manufacturing techniques for launch vehicles and in-space applications resulting in structures having affordable, reliable, predictable performance with reduced costs. However, the demand for such structures extends beyond space vehicles.

Experts estimate that the AM market to double by 2015 as material properties become better understood and application examples become more prevalent. While there is an increasing need for metal-based AM processes, only a few companies have entered into this field because of the technology barriers. The patented UAM process is a metals-based AM technology that has the potential to overcome several of these limitations because it relies on a low-temperature, solid-state welding. The market for UAM is well poised for strong growth in all arenas that include aerospace, automotive, and oil exploration.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING (NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.)

Composites Metallics Processing Methods Smart/Multifunctional Materials