In essence, these mats ‘tread’ in the 4D realm as they are able to absorb stress in their environment, deform accordingly, and then revert to their original shape-or as ITAMCO explains in their recent press release sent to, the material is able to ‘heal itself.’ Not only does this serve great functional purpose, it also offers product longevity as the material, weighing around 3.5 pounds per square foot (or less), and able to be installed manually, has a much longer lifespan. The two groups are making this possible with a new technological solution relying on phase transforming cellular matrix (PXCM) geometry.īoth ITAMCO and Zavattieri see the potential benefit of PXCM and sheet or ‘roll technology’ for military use because of its ability to handle loading and shear stresses caused by repeated expeditionary flight operations. Purdue Professor Pablo Zavattieri, of the Lyles School of Civil Engineering, is collaborating closely with Scott Hartford, Project Manager at ITAMCO, to further development of both an upper and lower surface that connect seamlessly. Strength to withstand impact from arresting hooksĬurrently, ITAMCO engineers are working with researchers from Purdue University to create a 3D printed surface that offers an improvement over the AM-2 aluminum plank matting in use since Vietnam.Durability for many take-offs and landings.These portable mats must hold up to Air Force requirements, however, and must include the following features: For the Air Force, runway mats (usually made from aluminum today) are necessary for expeditionary airfields (EA) set up during temporary missions. Now, Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies (ITAMCO), headquartered in Plymouth, Indiana, is part of a team developing a 3D printed version for the United States Air Force.ģD printing is an obvious choice for a critical component that must be created, used, and then broken back down in a short amount of time. Because planes may not always be able to touch down at a designated airport, runway mats are necessary historically, however, they have been unwieldy to transport. Self-sustainability and portability are high on that list though as military personnel must always be at the ready-and that includes making aircraft landings. Additionally, ABNA evaluated areas of the revetment mat and provided recommendations to the OPM for repairs.Most branches of the military have begun relying on 3D printing due to a host of benefits that complement their needs. These cells were merged into a single basin to achieve the desired storage volume.įor the pump station, ABNA’s team redesigned several of the internal workings of the pump station with site improvements. The existing facility consisted of three hydraulically connected cells connected to the WHFCR. Project goals included water quality improvements, reduction of floodwater elevations on Willow-Higgins Creek via the storage of regional floodwaters and proper release of airfield storm water runoff. This project increased storage capacity to accommodate the implementation of the OMP’s North airfield improvements. ABNA provided civil design, preparation and review of the Conceptual Design Report, Preliminary and Final Plans, Specifications, Engineer’s Estimate of Probable Construction Cost and Permitting. This project provided design services for the North Detention Basin (NDB) expansion as a part of the overall O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP) improvements at O’Hare International Airport. ABNA was the prime firm selected by the City of Chicago’s Department of Aviation (CDA) for this $26.5M project.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |