12 November 2020: Navy’s Composites Manufacturing Technology Centre (CMTC) and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has selected Veelo Technologies to reduce costs on the F-35 Lightning II aircraft program. They will also help to increase the production of composite parts that will be used on the fifth-generation combat aircraft.
Based on their novel heating technology, VeeloHEAT Cauls and VeeloHEAT composite repair blankets will allow for in-situ hot debulk of composites and enable repair of complex curvature parts respectively. The project is being executed through the Office of Naval Research, which manages the Navy Manufacturing Technology Program (ManTech) program. Advanced Technology International (ATI) is under contract to operate CMTC for Navy ManTech.
Mr. Joe Sprengard, Jr. President & CEO at Veelo Technologies said, “Veelo is proud of the opportunity to develop new capabilities for the F-35, the US government’s single largest weapons program. Partnering with Lockheed Martin and the Navy is an example of our company’s vision coming to life: to be a trusted partner and problem solver to the world’s leading aerospace and defence companies and government institutions.”
The technology and expertise Veelo Technologies are providing will eliminate the need to move the tooling used to produce F-35 composite parts to an autoclave for debulking. Building on existing bagging procedures, the addition of VeeloHEAT Caul keeps the tooling out of the oven by affording heated debulk at the tool during layup. Eliminating this step substantially improves throughput and reduces the time needed for debulking.
VeeloHEAT Caul and VeeloHEAT composite repair blankets provide uniform heating, even on the complex geometrie sound in the F-35 program. It also cools quickly and is highly uniform across large surface areas. Veelo’s heating technologies are durable, damage tolerant, and drapable to allow for net-shaped solutions. VeeloHEAT Caulis engineered with materials such as Viton that meet cleanroom requirements.
Additionally, VeeloHEAT Cauls and composite repair blankets can be controlled with existing hot bonders or VeeloHEAT Controllers.
