Aviation Week Announces Winners of the Innovation Challenge

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.

Produced by Aviation Week, with media support from Aviation Week & Space Technology, Defense Technology International, and Second Line of Defense, the Innovation Challenge Showcase was held March 7 at the Washington Marriott in Washington, DC. To read more about A&D innovation, visit http://aviationweek.com/innovation. Complete coverage of the winners will be available in the March 19 double-issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology.

About Aviation Week:

Aviation Week, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, and includes http://AviationWeek.com, Aviation Week & Space Technology, Defense Technology International, Business & Commercial Aviation, Overhaul & Maintenance, ShowNews, Aviation Daily, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, The Weekly of Business Aviation, Aviation Week Intelligence Network and MRO Links. The group also produces major events around the world.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two public companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, an education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Indices, Platts energy information services, Aviation Week and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at http://mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE Aviation Week