Composite and Metallic Solutions for Shipboard SMART Foundation Adapter

KaZaK Composites and our shipyard partner for this program, Bath Iron Works, propose a two part investigation of technology for reducing the cost and time required to install or reconfigure a ship's interior electronics spaces. First, we will continue successful Phase I attachment hardware system development, which concluded with demonstrated concepts for hardware that provides shock-capable interfaces between existing steel SMART Track deck components and electronics enclosures. In Phase II KCI will perform CAD and FEA analysis to optimize cost and performance of Phase I attachment designs, then build hardware prototypes for static and shock testing. The program will conclude with a commercializable product that resolves many Navy concerns with the current system, including cost and ergonomics, and that is ready for use in new and retrofit electronics rooms. Second, KCI will perform preliminary CAD, FEA and composite hardware structural testing of a pultruded product that could revolutionize today's approach to reconfigurable ship compartments, and have more far reaching effects on general ship construction. Phase II work on this related development will be limited in scope, but will conclude with sufficiently realistic hardware demonstrations that the Navy will be well positioned to make non-SBIR future funding decisions.