FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., November 18, 2019 – VEXTEC was selected to be an awardee at the Air Force’s inaugural Technical Executive Officer Pitch Day, held near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio on November 15, 2019. This marked the second Pitch Day award that VEXTEC garnered in the same week; VEXTEC was also awarded a Pitch Day contract from the Air Force’s Rapid Sustainment Office for Additive Manufacturing on November 13, 2019.

VEXTEC’s pitch for enhancing computational methodologies for durability performance prediction of metallic components made by Additive Manufacturing (AM) was well-received by the Air Force’s representatives from Acquisition, Technology, Logistics, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). VEXTEC’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Bob Tryon, and Chief Product Development Officer, Dr. Animesh Dey, were on-hand to make the pitch and receive the award.

VEXTEC Air Force TEO Pitch Day 2019

VEXTEC accepting the Air Force Research Laboratory’s funding award at the inaugural Technical Executive Officer Pitch Day, on November 15 2019 in Dayton, Ohio. Pictured left to right are: Lt. General Duke Richardson (Military Deputy at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics), Dr. Animesh Dey (VEXTEC’s Chief of Product Development), Dr. Bob Tryon (VEXTEC’s Chief of Technology), and Maj. General William Cooley (Commander at the Air Force Research Laboratory) Photo credit: AFRL.

VEXTEC’s pitched SBIR technology transition plan (STTP) for its current Phase II work involves further maturing of its VPS-MICRO predictive durability software to a higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL) through validation testing, and working with industrial and DoD partners. This maturation beyond the Phase II level intends to focus on computational predictive modeling of AM parts, to meet the Air Force’s needs in process development, outside vendor qualification/process control, and airworthiness certification.

“The Air Force needs a path to efficiently certify AM products to realize maximum gains with regards to airworthiness, sustainment and fleet readiness objectives. We feel that VEXTEC’s VPS-MICRO:AM software can be an integral tool in this effort,” Dr. Tryon said.

In total, $14 million in total SBIR funding was awarded at the Pitch Day event, to small businesses from across the country specializing in many different areas. Lt. General Duke Richardson (of the Office of Air Force Acquisition, Technology and Logistics in Arlington, Virginia) closed the event with an enthusiastic statement to all of the awardees: “Today was fun! Tomorrow, let’s get after it. Give us even more than we’re expecting.” We intend to, sir!