SBIR-STTR Award

Enabling aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier requires an arresting gear system that can quickly pull the aircraft to a halt. One of main components of the current arresting gear system are the purchase cables that connect to a series of hydraulic and pneumatic engines that provide the braking power for the aircraft. The current purchase cables are made of steel, weigh 4 tons, and have a limited service lifetime. Erigo Technologies, LLC proposes to develop a purchase cable made of a high-strength titanium alloy that is roughly half the weight, stronger, and has the same outer diameter. Titanium has many benefits over steel in key areas that effect service life, such as vastly improved axial fatigue properties, negligible corrosion in seawater and other chemical environments, and reduced bending stresses. Recognizing titaniums tendency to wear when sliding against other metal surfaces, the main focus of the anticipated research will be creating a wire coating that retains lubricants to minimize wear and galling. During Phase I we will manufacture and test sample cables and lubricants.

Benefit:
Benefits include reduced weight cables that are more resistance to environmental damage, easier to handle, and have improved service life. Additionally, the proposed cable design will have the same outer diameter as the current cables and will therefore be compatible with the current arresting gear system.

Keywords:
tribology, tribology, Titanium alloys, arresting cables., wear-resistant coatings

Erigo proposes to design, build, and test a titanium purchase cable that has several key advantages compared to steel arresting cables currently used by the Navy. Titanium has a much higher strength-to-weight ratio and greater intrinsic flexibility than steel, reducing the load imposed on other portions of the arresting gear system. Leveraging advancements in titanium alloy development, coatings, and lubrication, we demonstrated in Phase I using scaled cable prototypes that Erigos titanium design should exceed the Navys requirements at a 64% the weight of the current steel purchase cable. The increased cost of titanium is expected to be offset by the extended service life that reduces (1) the downtime required for cable replacement, (2) manning requirements, (3) shipboard storage of purchase cables, and (4) supply chain costs. In the Base Phase of Phase II, Erigo will fabricate larger diameter titanium cables than in Phase I. These cables will have a prototypical design and will be fabricated using the same high volume techniques that would be used in full-scale production. In the Option Phase, full-scale diameter cables will be produced and tested by scaling up the design that provided the best performance in the Base Phase.

Benefit:
Benefits to the Navy include (1) greatly improved service life because of reduced bending stresses, improved corrosion resistance, enhanced abrasion resistance, and reduced internal friction and wear through the use of advanced lubricants and surface treatment, (2) reduced operational costs and less burden on ships company and the logistics train because of extended cable life, (3) reduction in cable weight by almost 40%, and (4) compatibility with existing arresting gear system components

Keywords:
Light weight, purchase cable, titanium wire, Corrosion resistant