RTI International - News Release - 7.27.2005
RTI International, NASA Engineers Receive Environmental Excellence Award
Use of breakthrough alloy in outboard motors results from successful technology transfer partnership
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- A senior research engineer at RTI International was honored recently along with three National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineers for their work involving a high-strength aluminum alloy that is being used to create cleaner and quieter outboard motors.
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) honored Molly Dix and the rest of the team with its first place award for Environmental Excellence in Transportation (E2T). The award recognizes significant innovations in reducing the environmental impact caused by the transportation industry.
The award recognized RTI, NASA, and Bombardier Recreational Products of Sturtevant, Wis., for applying the NASA aluminum alloy to a transportation application with significant environmental impact. BRP licensed the patented breakthrough alloy from NASA for pistons in its new Evinrude® E-TEC™ outboard engine line.
The pistons can withstand the higher temperatures required for two-stroke engines able to meet today's demands for greater power with lower emissions. Because of their design, they also reduce the so-called "slapping" sound when pistons slide up and down in the engine's cylinder.
Dix was instrumental in bringing Bombardier and NASA together and facilitating the licensing agreement. She worked with engineers at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to provide technical assistance in optimizing the alloy to meet BRP's stringent requirements. She also helped construct a licensing agreement that allowed time-limited market exclusivity to BRP as an incentive to their early adoption of this technology.
Dan Winfield, Director of RTI's Center for Technology Applications, noted that RTI's partnership with the space and aeronautics agency has a long record of bringing breakthrough technology to market.
"Our technology transfer support to NASA represents the longest running service provided by RTI to a government agency," Winfield said. "Molly's work is an excellent example of RTI's ability to not only match emerging technology to commercial markets but also to help create win-win agreements for our clients."
RTI's technology transfer work for NASA covers a broad range of management services, including technology spinouts, technology infusion, new technology assessments, technology roadmapping, and independent evaluations and advisory services.
Patrick Tetzlaff, BRP's E-TEC project engineer, said the piston alloy allowed his company to take advantage of engine design and combustion strategies that contributed to meeting tough emission standards. "From a technical, business and marketing standpoint, the partnership between BRP, NASA, and RTI could not have been more successful," he said.
The motors have won the company major accolades, too, including a 2005 Clean Air Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 2004 Engine of the Year Award from Motor Boats Monthly, and an award as the Best New Marine Environmental Product for 2004 from the Canadian Safe Boating Council, to name a few.
The NASA engineers involved in the technology transfer project, who shared in the SAE's E2T award, were Jonathan Lee, Po Chen, and Sammy Nabors.