Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Austal firm's ONR competitive pact

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  The Navy Office of Naval Research (ONR) awarded ElectraWatch, an Austal USA company, a competitive Manufacturing Science Program contract to identify new material processing pathways that use additive manufacturing for Copper-Nickel (CuNi) heat exchanger designs. ElectraWatch was one of five organizations, and the only non-academic group, to receive a contract award. Dr. Scott Kasen, ElectraWatch’s principal engineer, explained that enormous heat loads for future Navy vessels will require advanced designs for seawater-heat exchangers that may only be achieved through Additive Manufacturing (AM). Existing modalities can't easily process Copper-Nickel (CuNi) alloys, chosen for their high thermal conductivity. So, ElectraWatch partnered with Metallum3D to propose a novel AM capability that uses a combination of a bound pellet extrusion process and microwave sintering. The project reinforces Austal USA’s position as a global leader in advanced ship manufacturing and sustainment. Austal USA is based out of Mobile, Ala. (Source: Austal USA 10/28/21) ElectraWatch awarded Manufacturing Science Program contract from Office of Naval Research | Austal: Corporate

No comments: