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Durability Improvement of Lightweight Track and Suspension Components for Armored Vehicles

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: M67854-02-C-0017
Agency Tracking Number: N02-001-15
Amount: $99,994.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2002
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85706
United States
DUNS: 147518286
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Roger Storm
 Principal Investigator
 (520) 574-1980
 rstorm@mercorp.com
Business Contact
 J. Withers
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (520) 574-1980
Email: jcwithers@mercorp.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

"The limitations of conventional metals processing limits the features that can be designed into track suspension components such as road wheels. These designs tradeoffs results in less than optimum performance, excessive weight and high cost. Solid freeform fabrication of metals can produce the required geometries, but production rates with some energy sources including laser are very slow, resulting in high cost components. These objections can be overcome by using a CAD/CNC controlled high energydensity beam as te energy source that directly forms the 3D metal net shapes. Durable lightweight components will be designed in steel and Titanium, using the road wheel for the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle as the leading example. The steelcomponents will also be dispersion strengthened. Wear in the Ti wheel will be addressed by incorporating a TiC surface layer functionally graded into the Ti using the high energy deposition process. Applicability of high strength continuous fiberreinforced A1 composites to reduce weight and improve performance will also be considered. Thress alternative designs will be evaluated leading to selection of one candidate for fabrication in Phase II.Benefits: The low cost and design flexibility of the systems evaluated will have a broad range of applications in both military and commercial markets."

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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