Photo By Marcus A Morton | Pictured in center (l-r): Dr. Animesh Dey and Dr. Robert Tryon (Photo Courtesy of Air...... read more read more
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Story written by Jim Ingram - One thing has seemingly always been true of successful businesses big and small: the ability to pivot with the market. A little more than a year ago, Tennessee-based Vextec – owners of seven U.S. patents -- saw a shift in trends and capitalized, coming away with an award from the Air Force Technical Executive Officer (TEO) Pitch Day in Dayton, Ohio in late 2019.
“Before the event, Additive Manufacturing (AM) was one of several manufacturing technologies we were marketing to,” said Vextec Chief Product Development Officer and co-founder Dr. Animesh Dey.
The event – cohosted by the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program and the Wright Brothers Institute – sought partnerships with small businesses in an effort to conquer technological barriers. More than $15 million was awarded to 12 Phase II companies seeking Beyond Phase II assistance.
Seeing a greater need for AM – also known as 3D printing --Vextec’s leadership shifted gears, making its pitch for predicting the lifespan of parts and replacing them before they go bad. The software they are developing could cut AM costs by up to 50 percent.
“The companies that made these parts (originally) – they don’t exist anymore,” said Dr. Robert Tryon, Vextec Chief Technology Officer and co-founder. “This interface takes advantage of the unique in-process monitoring that is not available to conventionally manufactured parts to improve the reliability of AM parts. Since (Pitch Day), we have added emphases to AM and it is the majority of our current business,” Dey added.
Vextec is not alone in their observations. In 2020, the trade publication Industry Week released the results of a manufacturing survey showing two-thirds of responding companies reported having more than doubled their use of industrial-scale AM in their business. In fact, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has been researching the idea of rapid prototyping as far back as the 1980s. The AFRL has meticulously worked to overcome challenges in areas of material processing and compatibility. That’s where companies like Vextec come in; assisting to keep the warfighter ready to answer the call anytime.
Having identified this need within the Air Force, Vextec’s team went to work in preparing for Pitch Day. They engaged with existing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to gauge their needs and solicit their support. Then they prepared their proposal, focusing on the current state-of-the-art and articulating their intended innovations. Vextec’s proposal included a clear-cut strategy for business and commercialization -- the application and benefits expected to be accrued by the Air Force from this technology.
“It is not the technical solution that is important. Equally important is to determine the business and commercial opportunities and the potential risks involved,” Dey explained.
A little more than a year later, Vextec -- like most all companies – has dealt with the challenges presented by the Covid pandemic but continues to make progress and inroads in the wilderness of AM. That includes a seat at the table with America Makes -- a national association bringing together industry, government and academics to enable AM.
“AM is sort of at the wild, wild west stage,” Tryon explained. “Everyone is trying to find the best way.”
“Before (Pitch Day), we were searching for ways to get more involved in the AM community,” Dey said. “(Pitch Day) has deepened our involvement in AM.”
Learn how you can receive funding to develop your technology solutions to our warfighter by visiting Air Force Tech Connect at https://airforcetechconnect.org/ and Air Force SBIRSTTR at https://www.afsbirsttr.af.mil/!
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2021 12:04 |
| Story ID: | 395814 |
| Location: | WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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