SURMET CORP — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N152-104

Description

In this Phase I, Surmet proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of producing near net shaped conformal window blanks from its spinel material. Surmet has produced ALON domes and windows in a wide variety of sizes and shapes including parts with gentle and complex curvatures, and will apply the same processes to its spinel material. <br>Surmet utilizes a sinter/HIP process to produce its spinel, which results in a material with a dramatically higher strength than hot pressing. Surmet has used this process to deliver over 1,000 spinel lenses to a major defense contractor for their targeting pods. However, inclusions typically found in our spinel material have limited its application.<br>Surmet, in an effort to scale-up the spinel process, have already made process improvements that results in a dramatic reduction in the inclusions in our spinel. These improvements combined with our ALON processing knowledge, will allow Surmet to produce near net shaped, high strength, conformal spinel windows. In Phase II, the process will be scaled up to produce multiple uncracked, fully dense spinel window blanks per program requirements.