Released on = February 16, 2006, 10:43 am

Press Release Author = Jan Larkin, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
(Installations and Environment), 703.604.1890

Industry = Aerospace

Press Release Summary = The promise of structurally safer and more environmentally
friendly aircraft is growing closer because of advances in the Department of
Defense\'s latest research into a new stainless steel alloy now being tested at Hill
Air Force Base.

DoD\'s investment in the research and development of a new corrosion-resistant alloy
could pay off in aircraft parts that are stronger, lighter and are produced more
quickly. The new alloy offers major environmental benefits because it could
eliminate the need to use toxic chemical coatings that prevent corrosion -- reducing
worker safety and waste management issues.

Testing of the new alloy at Hill AFB is supported by the Air Force\'s Applied
Technologies for Landing Systems (ATLAS) program.


Press Release Body = The promise of structurally safer and more environmentally
friendly airplanes within the next five years is growing more likely, due to
advances made by the Department of Defense's (DOD) latest research in stainless
steel. The project will affect both military and commercial airplane manufacturing.


"The military is always finding ways to make our aircraft safer," said Mr. Alex
Beehler, Assistant Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Environment, Safety, and
Occupational Health. "We must do everything we can to protect the men and women who
fly them."

Teaming with researchers from QuesTek Innovations, LLC, of Evanston, Ill., DoD
sponsored development of a new high-strength stainless steel alloy that resists
corrosion. Corrosion causes rust, cracks and breaks that could cause aircraft
components to fail. The new alloy, known as Ferrium S53, could replace the need to
use cadmium and other potentially toxic chemical coatings to prevent corrosion of
millions of steel components used in aircraft parts, such as landing gear.

Researchers demonstrated a new, innovative computer modeling design technology (now
called Materials by DesignTM), initially developed in a Northwestern University
study and further refined for the DoD project. The technology allowed researchers
to develop the new alloy in just months instead of decades. In addition, the
research partners developed a prototype within one year, using only $100,000 of DoD
funding provided through the Strategic Environmental Research and Development
Program Exploratory Development (SEED) program. Using old methods, it would have
taken at least 10 years and millions of dollars to develop a prototype.

Ferrium S53 could benefit the military and the airplane manufacturing industry in
several important ways. The current industrial process for applying cadmium
coatings to steel parts is difficult and potentially hazardous to workers. The
coating process generates wastes containing heavy metals and volatile organic
compounds. Managing, storing, and disposing of these materials is time consuming
and extremely expensive. Ferrium S53 could eliminate these issues, significantly
reducing health risks to workers, and reducing costs. Using the Materials by
DesignTM technology, materials can be created or modified to perfectly fit a
specific requirement, which reduces research and fabrication time and produces
steels of higher strength, thinner dimensions and less overall weight.

Supported by the Air Force's Applied Technologies for Landing Systems (ATLAS)
Program, the testing phase for Ferrium S53 is in full operation at Hill Air Force
Base in Utah. The project is estimated to be completed in 2006.



Web Site =

Contact Details = For more information contact:
Ms. Jan Larkin
Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment)
(703) 604-1890