The very first award made through the Maritime Sustainment Technology Innovation Consortium (MSTIC) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) has completed final testing with successful results.

The project was conceived after some deployed Navy actuators experienced operational failures that led to significant cost and effort to address.  The Navy wanted to evaluate the utility of electrohydraulic actuators, but had no capability to test and verify their performance.  The Navy needed a modular test stand to perform characterization testing on an electrohydraulic actuator, and that could be used for future actuator testing.

In June 2022, NSWCPD issued an award for the development of the Small Linear Actuator Test Stand (SLATS) to confirm the usability and durability of actuators.  Characterization testing has been highly successful, with initial data from the test stand helping NSWCPD to understand the similarities and differences between electromechanical and electrohydraulic actuators, just as the project intended. SLATS is scheduled to be delivered in August 2023 and will allow the Navy to test and characterize a variety of actuators with its modular platform and robust data acquisition system.

Small Linear Actuator Test Stand

About MSTIC

The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) established the Maritime Sustainment Technology and Innovation Consortium (MSTIC) to focus on innovative sustainment solutions that effectively address current and future security threats in maritime environments. MSTIC engages industry and academia to develop and mature technologies in the field of Maritime Sustainment that enhance the Navy’s mission effectiveness. The MSTIC is a consortium of premier traditional and non-traditional government contractors, small and large businesses, for-profit and not-for-profit entities, and academic organizations to perform R&D prototyping efforts. Learn how to join.