Detroit-based national advanced materials manufacturing institute LIFT has launched a project led by aerospace and defense company RTX that aims to develop a tool that models the emergence of cracks and damage within gun barrels coated with tantalum, thereby improving their life predictions.
The “Life Prediction of Tantalum-Coated Gun Barrels Under Fast Thermal Transient Conditions” project is one of six selected for funding under the LIFT Ecosystem Accelerator Program, which seeks to facilitate innovations in system engineering, manufacturing and advanced materials, the Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program said Monday.
The LEAP projects were selected from the pool of proposals received by LIFT last fall following an open project call. Project selection was based on a number of criteria, including the proposed budget, the degree to which the technology’s manufacturing or Readiness Level is advanced, and alignment with any of six focus areas, namely:
- High throughput alloy synthesis and test
- Hypersonic performance testing
- Virtual representation of materials in extreme environments
- Digital augmentation of manufacturing processes
- High temperature materials
- Design of materials
LIFT has committed $200,000 for each LEAP project. The expected completion date is this June.