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Novel Main Transmission Design Concepts

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N68335-04-C-0274
Agency Tracking Number: N031-0799
Amount: $1,766,680.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N03-020
Solicitation Number: 2003.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2003
Award Year: 2004
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2004-09-28
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2006-09-28
Small Business Information
9063 Bee Caves Road
Austin, TX 78733
United States
DUNS: 625120902
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Michael Dingus/Mr. Chip Beebe
 Co-Principal Investigator
 (512) 263-2101
 mdingus@tri-austin.com
Business Contact
 Monte Fellingham
Title: Contracts Administrator
Phone: (512) 263-2101
Email: mfellingham@tri-austin.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Rotary-wing aircraft use transmission systems to transfer power from the engines to the rotor system. These transmissions employ lightweight high strength metals to reduce overall aircraft weight. The Navy and the helicopter industry would like to further decrease aircraft weight, as an increase in performance can be achieved for every pound of weight reduction. Composites offer advantages over metals in that they can achieve equal or higher strengths with less weight. The Bell V-22 tiltrotor uses higher power, lower volume transmissions than those used in conventional helicopters. These transmissions produce more heat and depend on the metallic transmission housing to dissipate this energy. Typically, commercially available composites systems have low thermal conductivity properties. While composite transmission components may be able to withstand the dynamic and thermal stresses produced by the V-22 transmission, transmission failure or premature wear could result due to the inability of the composite material system to dissipate heat adequately. In this Phase II effort, Texas Research Institute Austin, Inc., with teaming partner Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., proposes to develop cost effective, lightweight, thermally conductive composite material systems that will meet design requirements and dissipate heat sufficiently to be used in a military helicopter transmission environment.

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

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