Origin nTopology
The team of Origin, nTopology and Stress Engineering Services has taken first place in the F-16 Approval Sprint Challenge for the inaugural USAF Rapid Sustainment Office Advanced Manufacturing Olympics.
It follows last week’s virtual event which included five technical challenges featuring additive manufacturing and reverse engineering. The winning entry, an additively manufactured F-16 hydraulic clamp, is to be installed on a one-time flight of an F-16 aircraft.
Designed on nTopology’s software, produced on the Origin One 3D printer in Henkel’s flame-retardant and chemically-resistant Loctite 3955 material and validated by Stress Engineering Services, the hydraulic clamp was considered to be the best example among eight entries of the rapid design, qualification and deployment of a sustainment solutions leveraging new manufacturing materials, processes and components.
The requirements of the challenge, also competed by National Institute for Aviation Research, Stratasys, and Markforged, looked at dimensional accuracy, stresses/loads, flammability compliance, temperature ratings (low and high), jet fuel exposure, vibration tolerance, hydraulic fluid exposure, and engine oil exposure.
Commenting on the success, Origin CEO Chris Prucha said: “We look forward to working with the Airforce Research Laboratory and the Airforce Life Cycle Management Center to build but official Technical Data Package for an increasing amount of 3D printed parts.”
“We were extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in this challenge with Origin and nTopology. They are two outstanding companies on the cutting edge of AM technology,” added Matt Sanders, Stress Engineering Services team leader. “Our team was able to find ways to collaborate and be innovative together virtually during this challenging pandemic.”
“We are honoured and humbled by our first-place finish in the Approval Sprint Technical Challenge for the Advanced Manufacturing Olympics,” offered Dr. Ryan O’Hara, Technical Director Of Aerospace and Defense at nTopology. “Working alongside stellar teams at Origin and Stress Engineering proved to be both easy and rewarding. This is proof that combining all areas of expertise: design, analysis, and manufacturing can lead to unprecedented innovation and product design.”
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