GRID LOGIC INCORPORATED — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: N162-130

GRID LOGIC INCORPORATED — SBIR Phase II award from Department of Defense.

Amount
$749,956
Agency
Department of Defense · Navy
Program / Phase
SBIR · Phase II
Topic
N162-130
Solicitation
16.2
NAICS
Place of performance
MI
Period
2018-09-28 → 2019-06-01

Description

An upcoming Navy program requires a substantial improvement in the speed of deploying undersea cables for communication, surveillance and control systems. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems is working to create the new system. A critical component of the cable joint protection system is the polyethylene covering that is assembled in parts. These components must be fused to form a long-lasting watertight seal. Raytheon has determined that non-contact heating is the ideal polyethylene joining approach. Grid Logic has Susceptor-Assisted Induction Heating (SAIH) technology that can spatially-localize magnetic flux to rapidly heat conductive particles, wire or other susceptors embedded in polyethylene. As the susceptors are heated, targeted local volumes of polyethylene melt, causing polymer chains diffuse between the parts to form strong permanent joints. Grid Logic also has monitoring and process control technology that can be used in the SAIH system to create quality welds.The objective of this SBIR Phase II project is to develop and mature a polyethylene welding device, along with designs for susceptor-enhanced components, that can be used for Raytheon's application.