Innovative Manufacturing Processes

Wizdom Systems, Inc. (Wizdom) and Rockwell Scientific Company LLC (RSC) have successfully completed a Phase I SBIR which investigated the effects of temperature on Focal Plane Array (FPA) production and operational testing. Among their findings, the companies have together concluded that: 1) significant improvements can be made in FPA producability and reliability, 2) Research should continue with both companies working together to meet the MDA's Development of Advanced Very Long Wavelength Infrared Detectors (DAVID) Program planned producability demonstration technology freeze target of 12/31/04 and the flight production technology freeze target of 12/31/05. This proposal defines one focus of this effort A key aspect of this proposed SBIR effort is that MDA's DAVID Program will pay for a commensurate amount of work such that more work can be accomplished rather than if all efforts were funded through this SBIR. Specifically, RSC's efforts (labor, material, etc.) and procurement of the required hardware will be funded by the DAVID Program and Wizdom's efforts will be funded by this SBIR. The net result is a very synergistic program where results are directly validated and implemented on a critical MDA program.