The Hampton Roads Alliance, Norfolk, VA, announced that VRC Metal Systems LLC, in collaboration with Mid-Atlantic Tech Bridge and the U.S. Navy, is creating an industrial facility in the city of Chesapeake, creating up to 10 new jobs for the Hampton Roads region over a five-year period.
The Naval Sea Systems Command Technology Office champions the timely transition of emerging technologies into ships, submarines and the communities that design, build and maintain them–resulting in a more affordable and capable fleet. Transitioning new technology from identification of the technology to the initial fielding in the repair facilities has been a major challenge, often referred to as the “Innovation Valley of Death.”
The Naval Sea Systems Command Technology Office developed the Cold Spray “pop up cell” concept to provide new technology as a service. The pop up cell combines work space and equipment to perform component repairs as a service to the Navy with ship and submarine components targeted for repair at the site. The site will provide shared access to the Navy and Private industrial base sectors, and support technology assessment in addition to the repairs. The pop up cells are designed to open 90 days after contract award and provide a repaired component to the Navy in 21 days or less from the time it arrives until it is shipped back to the customer. The pop up cell model is expected be adapted and scaled to meet future evolving repair requirements and support new technologies as they emerge.
VRC plans to lease 9800 square feet in 1220 A Fleetway Drive in the Cavalier Industrial Park. The company’s initial investment will be used to create a commercial entity to be used for both industrial repair and innovative manufacturing process applications that utilizes the company’s cold spray technology.
VRC Metal Systems was founded in January 2013 after obtaining an exclusive license for the commercialization of the patent pending high pressure, portable cold spray capability. The technology was commercialized by 22-year Air Force veteran, Rob Hrabe and his partner, Dr. Christian Widener, in collaboration with the Army Research Laboratory and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. The patent was licensed by VRC after a joint ownership agreement between the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and the Army Research Laboratory was completed.
The company and its technologies were developed to provide agile, high-quality repairs in DoD weapon systems for the war fighter at military bases and forward operating locations, so the hand-held capability and mobility of the system were important design features. Since that time, VRC has developed the system for both commercial and DoD use and has expanded its offerings to include complete turn-key cold spray systems, including both additive and subtractive systems. VRC also remains heavily involved in developing cold spray and advanced manufacturing solutions for the Department of Defense as well as commercial clients. VRC is a strong company that is growing rapidly and leading the U.S. cold spray market. VRC is also expanding into the global cold spray market and is active in international cold spray venues and standards development.
Image – Ribbon cutting ceremony at the new VRC Metal Systems industrial facility in Chesapeake on June 2 which included a demonstration of the cold spray process and was well attended by public and private business leaders, as well as both active duty and retired members of the U.S. Navy.
For more information:
VRC Metal Systems
https://vrcmetalsystems.com
The Hampton Roads Alliance
https://hamptonroadsalliance.com/
