WSU-based energy firm gets $1 million defense contract

Fairmount Technologies, located on the 成人头条 campus, received a new contract with the Department of Defense to further develop its portfolio of manufacturing technologies for discrete part manufacturing.

The $1 million contract is for building a prototype for the machining concept that was proven through a successful phase I Small Business Innovation Research contract to improve machining of long, complex-shaped parts used in aircraft manufacturing.

It鈥檚 a machining project that uses advanced sensing technologies to correct the machining path of the tool in real-time. The goal is to reduce loss of materials due to machining failure, set-up cost and lead time for manufacturing multiple parts or one-off spares.

Fairmont Technologies was founded in 2008 by Vis Madhavan, professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering at WSU, and is located in Beggs Hall.

Madhavan is one of the inventors of the Stretch Roll Forming process, a manufacturing innovation with the potential to revolutionize the process of bending extrusions into components.

This process allows parts to be produced rapidly using computer numerical control programs instead of part specific dies, at lower production and environmental cost, with improved quality and increased accuracy.

Mahdi Kashani, general manager at Fairmount Technologies, attributes much of the company鈥檚 success to its WSU location.

鈥淭he pool of excellent employees who are current or former WSU students is a valuable asset to Fairmount Technologies,鈥 said Kashani, who received his own Ph.D. from WSU. 鈥淚t delivers motived and skilled people that makes our success possible.鈥

The company currently employs 13 people, including three WSU graduates and five WSU student interns.

Fairmount Technologies is certified to design and manufacture components and assemblies for the aerospace and defense industries. More information can be found at .


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