Contract Awarded To Picometrix For Phase II Research

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a Phase II SBIR contract to optical products maker Picometrix to develop a prototype terahertz quality control system for it's variant of the F-35 JSF. The system will be based on the patented fiber-coupled T-Ray 4000 instrument, and utilized to ensure the proper fit of the coated exterior surfaces of the jet. This contract is a continuance of the successful Phase I SBIR feasibility work completed in 2009. The 24 month Phase II contract is valued at $3 million, with an option for an additional $1.5 million, exercisable at the Air Force's discretion. If successful, the Phase II dedicated T-Ray 4000 prototype system would lead to deployment of multiple production systems in Phase III.

The handheld scanner developed under this Phase II SBIR will be a plug-in accessory to the system, making it an option for the company's T-Ray 4000(R) instrument. The scanner could facilitate additional applications which would open new markets. This technology could be utilized for any aircraft, not just the F-35, and could be adapted for other applications including: measurement of coating thickness, subsurface inspection, surface topography measurements, measurement of coating tapers, and coating cure states. A handheld scanner could also be applicable for homeland security applications such as airport personnel scanning for explosives and suicide bombers.

"The application of our T-Ray 4000 product platform to help solve the difficult manufacturing challenge posed by the next generation military aircraft is a potentially significant opportunity to deploy multiple systems for the manufacturing and maintenance of the F-35 throughout its life. We believe this is just the first of many manufacturing quality control and process control opportunities for our T-Ray product line in a variety of markets," commented Richard (Rick) Kurtz, CEO of Advanced Photonix, the parent company of Picometrix.

With one focus of the JSF program being affordability -- reducing the development cost, production cost, and cost of ownership of the JSF family of aircraft, Picometrix says the T-Ray 4000(R) nondestructive testing system deployed in Phase III would significantly improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs on the expensive process of installing the coated doors and panels on the F-35, in line with the affordability focus of the JSF Program.

FMI: www.advancedphotonix.com