Emerging Manufacturing
Abstract
Emerging Manufacturing is a series of new efforts addressing advanced manufacturing technologies and enterprise business practices for defense applications. Initiatives and projects under development will continue to identify and transition advanced manufacturing processes/technologies that will achieve significant productivity and efficiency gains in the defense manufacturing base. The key focus areas are: manufacturing technologies to accelerate delivery of technical capabilities to impact current warfighting operations; to prepare for an uncertain future; and to reduce the cost, acquisition time and risk of our major defense acquisition programs. The Out of Autoclave Bismaleimide program developed out of autoclave aerospace composites with service temperature uses of up to 350F. The Carbon Nanotube Cable project will demonstrate high volume quality controlled carbon nanotube fiber and sheet for signal and power transmission. The technology involves replacing copper in signal and power cables with carbon nanotubes, which would greatly reduce its weight, subsequently causing a significant increase in fuel efficiency and overall performance. The Extreme Breakover Diode (XBOD) project will mature manufacturing processes for a high-speed, high-voltage, solid-state switches for directed energy weapon applications. The Direct Write Electronics project will enable electronic circuits to be printed directly from computer aided design files, much like printing text on a piece of paper from a word processor file. Direct Write circuits will revolutionize electronics manufacturing & fabrication techniques and enhance warfighter platform effectiveness through an increase in sensor/instrumentation placement. Cost savings for each sensor/circuit placement are realized by eliminating all associated installation tooling, reducing one man-day of assembly time (per sensor application), and eliminating inspection criteria for cutting, drilling, and assembly of sensor subcomponents. The Copper Nanoparticle Solder-Free Electronics Scale-up project will demonstrate a method for producing printed circuit boards that does not require solder. The project scope is to produce test quantities of copper nanoparticles, use them to assemble a representative circuit board, and evaluate their performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2012
- Source ID
- 498f529636660055ea0df4f6057b2414