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Improved Thermal Battery Assembly Techniques

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: N00178-04-C-1028
Agency Tracking Number: N02-048-02
Amount: $749,936.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N02-048
Solicitation Number: 2002.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2002
Award Year: 2004
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2004-05-14
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2006-05-13
Small Business Information
P.O. Box 71
Hanover, NH 03755
United States
DUNS: 072021041
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Nabil Elkouh
 Engineer
 (603) 643-3800
 nae@creare.com
Business Contact
 William Baschnagel
Title: Operations Manager
Phone: (603) 643-3800
Email: wrb@creare.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Current production of thermal batteries relies heavily on touch labor practices. The assembly of the battery stack relies exclusively on touch labor, which has been shown to be the major insertion point for battery defects that are discovered during post-production evaluations of batteries. In Phase I, Creare successfully demonstrated the critical subsystems of an innovative approach to battery stack assembly automation. Our subsystems handled the most fragile pellets gently, placed the pellets accurately, manipulated both porous and non-flat pellets easily, and ultimately provided flexibility in the design of a complete, integrated automated assembly station. In Phase II, we will design, build, and test a prototype integrated battery stacking station that will be tested both at Creare and at the largest thermal battery manufacturer in the United States. This prototype system will be suitable for extensive testing and demonstrations with typical thermal battery pellets and operation in a typical thermal battery dry room production environment.

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

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