NASA Tech Transfer Opportunity: Out of Autoclave Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing Method
Synopsis – Mar 12, 2012
General Information
Solicitation Number: N/A
Reference Number: TTO0974
Posted Date: Mar 12, 2012
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Mar 12, 2012
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Jun 01, 2012
Current Response Date: Jun 01, 2012
Classification Code: 99 — Miscellaneous
NAICS Code: 927110
Set-Aside Code:
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001
Description
NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.
THE TECHNOLOGY:
As more countries commit to wind power, development of wind turbines is increasing. A fixture that NASA has used to produce large structural parts for unmanned aerial vehicles can also benefit wind turbine blade manufacturing. NASA’s new technology addresses some cost and manufacturability barriers with current composite wind turbine blade processing. The fixture includes flexible vacuum bagging to contain the raw material lay-up as it is roll-pressed into a gently contoured blade. The process is an alternative to hand tooling and autoclaving, and produces parts with quality close to those processed under high-temperature and high-pressure environments. It can use a variety of reinforcement fibers and is not dependent on matrix viscosity to achieve part wet-out, even on thick laminations. The fixture and process are applicable to low-volume production but have potential for adaptation to automated high rate production. NASA has obtained a patent on the assembly, and it seeks an industry partner to commercialize the technology for wind turbines.
To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, Strategic Relationships Office (SRSO), 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information.
RTI is responsible for aggregating and acknowledging all responses. These responses are provided to members of NASA Langley’s Innovative Partnerships Office within the SRO for the purpose of promoting public awareness of our technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, SRO will follow the formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register as required. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.
Point of Contact
Name: Sean Sullivan
Title: Media Specialist
Phone: 757-864-5055
Fax: 757-864-8101
Email: sean.d.sullivan@nasa.gov
