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Aviation Week Announces Winners of the Innovation Challenge
Innovation Challenge Showcase features top innovations from A&D suppliers across 11 categories
PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2012

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Week today announced and honored the winners of its 2012 Innovation Challenge, which recognizes game-changing aerospace and defense (A&D) suppliers for their unique responses to market needs, cost improvements, and positive effects on integration barriers. Recommended industry actions, insights, and observations marked a full day of focus on innovation at the Innovation Challenge Showcase in Washington, D.C.

"A year ago, Aviation Week began working with supply chain and technology leaders to identify areas where innovation is most needed. The result was the Innovation Challenge," said Greg Hamilton, president, Aviation Week. "The Innovation Challenge attracted more than 160 new and emerging innovations, and what we found was humbling. The days of small startups are far from over. Innovation is alive and well throughout the supply chain."

"Aviation Week is dedicated to covering and celebrating the best in innovation," said Tony Velocci, editor-in-chief, Aviation Week & Space Technology, "and today's innovations in products, processes, and technologies deserve to be celebrated. These winners and finalists have dedicated their work and lives to driving our essential industry forward."

The 11 Innovation Challenge winners include:
Electronics and Overall Innovation Challenge Winner: PacketDigital LLC- PowerSage Power Management Integrated Circuits, which monitor activity in electronics, correlate this to real-time energy demand, and provide dynamic voltage scaling—thus improving performance, extending battery life, and reducing heat
Aero Structures: 3D Metal Forming- Integrated Structures, a process that uses explosive forming technology to produce large, complex, and double-curved shapes that are ready for machining
Communications: Rockwell Collins- ANT-7000 C-Band Antenna, developed to resolve cost, size, weight, and reception issues for aircraft antenna by enabling multi-directional digital communication
Advanced Material Composites: Lord Corp.- Self-Assembling Conductive Mesh for Lightning Strike Protection, a polymer technology that dramatically cuts weight and is easy to apply, repair and interconnect
Manufacturing Processes: Makino Inc.- ADVANTiGE, a machining technology used with titanium to overcome limitations of low metal-removal rates and rapid tool wear
Other: Industrial Technology Research Institute- REDDEX, a composite material made of urethane-based components and alumni-trihydrate that adheres as a foam or in sheets for fire protection against gas and smoke
Process Innovation: Adducent Technology, Inc.- AeroProbe Electronic Tool Detection System, which is used plane-side to detect tools that may have been left behind during repair or MRO activity
Power and Propulsion: Fraunhofer ILT- Additive BLISK, a manufacturing technology that reduces material losses and production cost, slashing manufacturing time by 30%
Sensors: LOGOS Technologies Inc.- Lightweight Expeditionary Airborne Persistent Surveillance (LEAPS) System, which provides local ground commanders sole control of persistent surveillance assets
Service Products: Air New Zealand Technical Operations- A320 MLG Retraction Actuator Jack In-Situ Boring and Spotfacing Tool, a single, indexable cutting insert that saves maintainers 400 man-hours per aircraft
Software: BridgeNet International- VOLANS, an internet-based prototyping tool that creates, evaluates and displays flight operations in 3D, allowing for Next Gen ATM data about economics, emissions and efficiency
For a full list of the 34 finalists, visit http://www.aviationweek.com/events/current/innov/finalists.htm.