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Consortium receives $5M contract
By Shelia Watson
Contributing Writer
A consortium managed by Advanced Technology Institute, one of the South Carolina Research Authority’s affiliates, has received a contract worth $5 million to develop manufacturing technologies to support the nation’s defense industrial base.
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division awarded the contract to the Next Generation Manufacturing Technology Initiative, a consortium that accelerates the development and implementation of breakthrough manufacturing technologies. Part of the
Next Generation’s directive is to support the global competitiveness of U.S.-based manufacturing.
Bill Mahoney, president and CEO of SCRA, said the contract kicks off Phase III of the program.
The mission of the Advanced Technology Institute affiliate is to build international consortia, like the Next Generation Manufacturing Technology Initiative, and to develop and implement solutions for manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, maritime, metals and health care industries.
Mahoney said the research into the new technologies leads to such economic and social benefits as safety, affordability, manufacturing competitiveness, environmental protection and energy conservation.
Funds from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division contract will be applied toward a wide range of advancements in technology, including strategic investments in orthotics and prosthetics. Several of SCRA’s business units already are involved in research and development in those areas.
Contract funds will also go to defense fuel cell manufacturing to increase the reliability for specific fuel cells being developed, improve the fuel cell system and manufacture of the hydrogen fuel cartridge and improve testing of the fuel cell. SCRA currently collaborates with several organizations, including the University of South Carolina, on fuel cell research.
Other funded projects include model-based enterprise work, which entails project modeling and simulation of designs prior to commercialization, and digital radiography, which converts film-based radiographs standards to digital radiograph standards.
Mahoney said the program also will explore funding additional project work in the areas of digital direct manufacturing, an advanced laser technology, and friction stir joining, which involves the joining of two metals without fusion or filler materials.
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