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News Air Force hires VEXTEC to resolve mature fleet corrosion issues. Firm’s innovative simulation technology and small scale testing methods seen as economical solution to common, but expensive problem. Brentwood, TN, February 23, 2009 – VEXTEC Corporation has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force to identify the root cause of a compressor durability problem in a mature aircraft turbine engine fleet. Corrosion is a problem in older fleets, but the rate at which corrosion is occurring is unacceptably high. This, in turn, is impacting fleet readiness and sustainment costs. The Air Force tapped VEXTEC for this project because of its familiarity with the company’s Virtual Life Management™ (VLM) technology, and that technology’s ability to rapidly characterize component durability by simulating the interaction of billions of metallic grain structures in minutes. “Corrosion has always been an expensive problem with existing fleets, but we have an opportunity to apply a new technology for corrosion mitigation,” said Dr. Robert Tryon, VEXTEC Founder and Chief Technical Officer. “We’re very pleased the Air Force has demonstrated their confidence in our technology by allowing us to look into this problem for them. We expect to make a substantial financial impact on their fleet readiness expenses, and once again show off the broad range of applications our technology is capable of.” To uncover the underlying cause of corrosion, VEXTEC is planning to use its patented material microstructure approach by combining VLM with miniature scale engine testing, thereby identifying the source of the problem under an accelerated timeframe in a correct environment. VEXTEC’s investigation will also evaluate the potential for remedial actions including the application of blade surface coatings, thus providing the Air Force with a range of corrective options. About VEXTEC VEXTEC is the only company in the world that can accurately predict the performance, durability and true lifetime cost of a single component or an entire fleet—before they’re ever built. Founded in 2000, VEXTEC has pioneered and patented innovations in material science and probability theory to form the foundation of its Virtual Life Management (VLM) technology. Manufacturing companies from such diverse industries as aerospace, heavy equipment, automotive, electronics and medical implants can all benefit from VEXTEC’s unique ability to predict product life cycles and failure, and most importantly, their financial consequences. To learn more, visit www.vextec.com.
VEXTEC Contact Frank Priscaro
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