Wins Defense Manufacturing Technology Award for F-35 Canopy Project
ATI today announced that its F-35 Canopy Thermoforming Automation project won the 2014 Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award. The project, a joint effort between ATI, the Office of Naval Research, Naval Air Systems Command and GKN Advanced Transparency Systems, will save the F-35 Lightning II Program as much as $125 million by automating the forming of advanced fighter canopies. The cost savings are achieved by employing an automated system to control the labor intensive forming process. Previously, forming canopies required highly skilled operators to frequently enter high temperature ovens to adjust the forming process based on visual feedback. The new process eliminates the need for operators to enter high temperature ovens and utilizes a vision system to continuously and precisely adjust the forming process. Additionally, the automated approach reduces tooling needs and enables full rate production. The award was given to the project’s team members at the annual Defense Manufacturing Conference held in early December in San Antonio, Texas.
The award is sponsored by the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP), and is given to teams comprised of both government and private sector members who are responsible for outstanding projects in manufacturing technology. Nominees are evaluated on three criteria: manufacturing technology achievement, transition/implementation and potential or realized benefits. The selection committee consists of the JDMTP Principals and the OSD ManTech director. ATI’s winning team member is Ryan Frankart, company lead on the program
“ONR ManTech, in partnership with the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, has established an environment and leadership structure that enables these successes with high returns on investment,” said ATI Vice President Marty Ryan. “ATI is fortunate to have had the opportunity to work closely with the government team and GKN on this important project that helps our men and women in uniform. The success of this project is due to the dedication and ingenuity of all involved.”
About ATI:
ATI builds and manages research collaborations that develop technology solutions to complex challenges. ATI leads diverse industries and organizations to develop technology solutions, typically for the Department of Defense and other federal clients. Our collaborative approach can be used to develop solutions for any industry or discipline. Our current R&D portfolio includes shipbuilding and ship repair, advanced materials, medical technologies, electromagnetic spectrum technologies and rapid DoD prototyping. Where it is a client goal, ATI ensures wide-spread industry adoption and application of new technologies. ATI manages over twelve large, federally-funded consortia with a contract value of more than $16 billion.
