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SMP Bladder Tooling for Manufacturing Composites

Award Information

Agency:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
95587 		Program Year/Program:
2010 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
094705 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
X5 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Cornerstone Research Group, Inc.
2750 Indian Ripple Road Dayton, OH -
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2010
Title: SMP Bladder Tooling for Manufacturing Composites
Agency: NASA
Contract: NNX10CF30P
Award Amount: $99,994.00
 

Abstract:

CRG's shape memory polymer (SMP) Bladder Tooling is a cutting-edge manufacturing technology that can meet the manufacturing needs of the Ares launch vehicles. This process provides labor savings, weight reductions, and reliable manufacturing results for fabricating complex composites. SMP bladder tooling eliminates the transferring process by operating as both a rigid lay-up mandrel and an elastic bladder. Initially, the tooling is a rigid, durable surface for composite lay-up, then when heated during the cure cycle the tooling transitions to a flexible bladder to provide consolidation force. The tooling can then be easily removed from the cured composite while in the elastic state, reformed, and reused for the next part. In addition to increased part quality, SMP bladder tooling can present a significant cost reduction over current manufacturing processes. When comparing SMP bladder tooling with a silicone bladder over a foam insert for manufacturing of an Environmental Control System (ECS) duct, there is a 46% savings over the first three parts and 80% savings over twelve parts. A second cost saving example is the comparison of SMP bladder tooling with washout tooling for the same ECS duct. Cost saving for the first three parts is 40% and 79% over twelve parts.

Principal Investigator:

Joel J. Everhart
Principal Investigator
9373201877
everhartjj@crgrp.com

Business Contact:

Stephen Vining
VP Government Programs
9373201877
viningsd@crgrp.net
Small Business Information at Submission:

Cornerstone Research Group, Inc.
2750 Indian Ripple Road Dayton, OH 45440

EIN/Tax ID: 311517769
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No