Phase II Amount
$1,127,235
New and innovative speed conversion technology can expand the limits of current high-precision pointing and positioning transmission equipment, at reasonable cost. This technology features flat-plate cam gears in an in-line mechanism that marries the rolling aspects of bearings with the transmission aspects of gears to obtain a versatile, robust, efficient and cost-effective drive mechanism. The technology is generic and the number of uses and applications are countless. Phase II objective is to develop and demonstrate the ability of this new technology to provide reduced-cost, multi-use, compact, reduced-weight, high-precision drives and actuators. Effort includes stress analysis and mechanical design of candidate pancake speed reducer/torque amplifier prototypes, test and evaluation of same, and final design and delivery of improved prototype, along with definition of cost-effective volume manufacturing process (including study of powder metallurgy and ceramics). Phase II is directed to delivery of low backlash, precision, robust and cost-effective armament positioning and pointing devices, such as for missile control systems. These pancake transmissions are generic to other actuation designs, for pointing and precision positioning of various payloads for industrial and military.