SCRA Affiliate Advanced Technology Institute Receives Contract to Further Accelerate Breakthrough Manufacturing Technologies
October 2, 2007
CHARLESTON, SC – October 2, 2007 – SCRA announced today that the Next Generation Manufacturing Technology Initiative program (NGMTI), a consortium
managed by SCRA affiliate ATI, has received a $5 million Phase III contract through the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division. NSWC Crane is an industrial leader in applying better processes and technologies to the development, acquisition and support of modern naval warfare systems. NGMTI
accelerates the development and implementation of breakthrough manufacturing technologies in support of the defense industrial base and global competitiveness of U.S.-based manufacturing.
“Through its affiliated Advanced Technology Institute, SCRA is very pleased to implement Phase III of this important program,” said Bill Mahoney, SCRA
CEO. “NGMTI reflects our long-standing relationship with the U.S. Navy and key corporate partners in bringing new technologies into practical, breakthrough solutions.”
Phase III NGMTI program funding will be applied toward advancements in:
— Strategic Investment Plans and Roadmaps – including orthotics and prosthetics
— Defense fuel cell Manufacturing
— Model Based Enterprise
— Digital Radiography
The Defense fuel cell Manufacturing project’s goals are to increase ruggedness and reliability for the 80-watt Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell, improve
the fuel cell system and hydrogen fuel cartridge manufacturability, and improve testing of the fuel cell. Key participants in this project include Tetramer Technologies (Pendleton, SC), Palmetto Fuel Cell (Columbia, SC), Concurrent Technologies Corporation (Johnstown, PA), and Summers and Summers
(Santa Clarita, CA).
The objective of the Model Based Enterprise project is to develop and pilot product modeling and simulation transition capabilities that enable a product
model to drive design decisions and downstream applications. Led by Rockwell Collins and the University of Iowa, key participants in this project include
Lockheed Martin, CostVision (Boulder, CO), BAE Systems, Raytheon, Rolls-Royce, the University of Kentucky, and Intelligent Systems Technology (Costa Mesa, CA).
The Digital Radiography project aims to convert existing film-based radiographs standards to digital radiograph standards for nickel super alloy castings. Led by Belcan Corporation (Cincinnati, OH), key participants in this project include Howmet Castings (Whitehall, MI), PCC Structurals (Portland, OR), and General Electric.
The NGMTI program will also explore funding additional project work in the
areas of Digital Direct Manufacturing and Friction Stir Joining.
About SCRA
SCRA is a global leader in applied research and commercialization services with offices in Anderson, Charleston, and Columbia, South Carolina. SCRA
collaborates to advance technology. SCRA provides technology-based solutions with assured outcomes to industry and government, and with the help of
research universities like Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina.
About ATI
The Advanced Technology Institute builds international consortia to develop and implement innovative solutions for manufacturing, aerospace, automotive,
maritime, metals, and healthcare industries. ATI-led collaborations attract world-class talent from premier companies, universities, and government
agencies, to define technology roadmaps and research portfolios matched to business demands that provide the requisite resources to solve shared
challenges. ATI’s partners report improved market transition and return on investment with reduced risk. These practical business benefits enable the
downstream economic and social benefits of the new technologies – such as safety, affordability, manufacturing competitiveness, environmental
protection, and energy conservation. A private, non-profit research corporation with principle operations in Charleston, SC, ATI is an affiliate of SCRA. For more information, please visit www.aticorp.org.
