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AFRL Fellows InductedThe Air Force Research Laboratory recently chose five of itsscientists and engineers as AFRL Fellows. The award, whichconfers a lifetime status, recognizes outstanding contributionsin research and development and/or exceptional technical programmanagement.Selected from a field of 24 nominees for the annual awardwere:• Dr. Charles Y-C Lee, Air Force Office of Scientific Research,Arlington, VA• Dr. Richard W. Linderman, Information Directorate,Rome, NY• Dr. Melvin C. Ohmer, Materials and ManufacturingDirectorate, Wright-Patterson AFB• Dr. LaVerne A. Schlie, Directed Energy Directorate,Kirtland AFB, NM• Dr. Michael C. Wicks, Sensors Directorate, Rome (NY)Research Site“As our top researchers, our Fellows lead and take part inspecial activities which enhance the laboratory’s image,” saidDr. Kenneth E. Harwell, AFRL chief scientist. “The lab commanderencourages them to advise him on substantial issues.The lab relies on these leaders to represent it in significantendeavors in the national and scientific engineering communities.”Dr. Lee is an internationally recognized expert in polymerand organic materials research. His research in the electro opticalpolymer area made substantial progress in improving theproperties of the materials. He recently initiated research intopolymer matrix composites, which are key technologies forstealth and space structure applications.Dr. Linderman is a distinguished leader in the fields of highperformance computing architectures and signal/image processing.His single wafer scale signal processor recently demonstratedrecord-breaking power efficiency, and his short stackmemory designs were transitioned to several Department ofDefense programs. This technology is now used commerciallyto significantly increase the memory density of the Cray J90super computer.Dr. Ohmer is internationally recognized for his expertise inthe areas of electrical and magnetic/optical properties of materials,and the interaction of electromagnetic radiation withsolids. He was pivotal to the development of component technologiesthat were used in a new tunable laser source. The tunablelaser source is an integral part of future infrared countermeasuressystems that will protect weapons systems from heatseekingmissiles.Dr. Schlie made noteworthy contributions to laser technologydevelopment. His work across the entire spectrum of laserdevelopment influences national laser efforts. His photolyticiodine laser research is a key technology which makes highenergy,high-beam quality laser systems possible. These lasersare crucial to several DoD applications.Dr. Wicks is the leading Air Force expert in a number ofradar technologies. He has invented ultra-wideband antennas,signal generation devices, receivers and clutter suppressiontechniques. His work has the potential to significantly enhancethe survivability and performance of advanced radar sensors.The award selection committee considers both military andcivilian scientists and engineers, comprising about 55 percent ofthe AFRL workforce of 5700. To be eligible, participants mustbe assigned to AFRL for the past three consecutive years andhave at least seven years of active federal service. The work recognizedmust have been performed at the laboratory or one ofits predecessors, and meet one or more of the following criteria:• Fundamental or important discovery of sufficient magnitudeto warrant recognition in the scientific or engineeringcommunity as a pioneering breakthrough.• Recognition as a national or international authority in oneor more fields, including widespread recognition in the AirForce.• Sustained high-level achievements in programs of extraordinaryimportance to AFRL, the Air Force or national defense.• Continued significant personal contributions to the labbeyond normal expectations.• Exceptional record of scientific and technical achievements,creativity and leadership, patents, publishing in refereedpublications, organizational skills, and development of labprograms.Major General Dick Paul, AFRL commander said “I’mextremely proud of our five recipients; all are very deserving ofthis prestigious award – the highest honor we can bestow.”Army Research Lab Keeps Chinook FlyingThe Army Research Laboratory played a part in keeping the CH-47 Chinook helicopter fleet in the air.The CH-47 fleet was grounded when cracks due to grindingburns were discovered on the second stage planetary gears duringroutine inspections.In August, an Army review team performed an independentanalysis of the crack growth characteristics of the planet gear. Dr.David Lewicki of ARL’s Vehicle Technology Directorate and ScottGrendahl of the Materials Analysis Group of ARL’s Weapons andMaterials Research Directorate participated.The Army is now operating the CH-47 fleet on a limitedperformance basis until full inspection of the suspected parts iscompleted.In addition, the Material Analysis Group and Boeing Corp.,contractor for the helicopter, are now conducting fatigue studiesand a metallurgical analysis.10The AMPTIAC Newsletter, Volume 4, Number 1
AMPTIAC’s Library – A National ResourceOne of the primary functions of a Department of DefenseInformation Analysis Center (IAC) is to provide unbiasedanalytical and evaluative information and technical services.Technological expertise typically cannot reside solely withinpeople. Such expertise results from a combination oftrained engineers and a knowledge base of printed andelectronic media that allows for effective technology transfer.AMPTIAC, like all other IACs sponsored by theDefense Technical Information Center (DTIC), is charteredto preserve the corporate memory of prior DoD workwith the focus on materials technology. Our primary goal isto collect materials-related technical information as itevolves and transfer it, as appropriate, to research and developmentprograms. AMPTIAC is continuing a 45-yearold tradition of providing information and services in thematerials area to the armed forces, defense contractors, academicresearch institutions, and commercial organizations.AMPTIAC and its predecessor IAC’s 1 have publishedmore than 850 summary reports, handbooks, conferenceproceedings and databases. The development of such productsrequires an extensive and focused data collectionprogram. The information gathered to publish thesereports and databases is residing in AMPTIAC’s permanentlibrary. All the documents, technical reports, conferenceproceedings, and reference books accumulated byAMPTIAC and its predecessors over the years add up tomore than 208,000 technical articles and reports, coveringin essence the history of advanced materials developmentin the United States. AMPTIAC’s library holdings rangefrom some of the earliest work on the development of titaniumalloys in the mid-1950’s to present day technicalreports on advanced composites, structural ceramics, engineeredplastics, and aerospace metals. Furthermore, thenewsletters and current awareness bulletins published bythe materials IACs (past and present) are stored in theAMPTIAC library. Consequently, technical informationavailable to support customer needs is staggering. Forexample, over 35,000 references discuss all aspects of compositesincluding processing, mechanical properties, applications,and environmental effects. There are more than30,000 reports on aluminum alloys and over 17,000reports that address corrosion of various alloys. The knowledgebase includes materials technologies such as titaniumalloys, advanced aluminum alloys, high temperature steels,nickel based superalloys, copper alloys, as well as whiskerand continuous fiber reinforced metals. Our expertiseextends to information on ceramics (including monolithicadvanced ceramics), coatings and ceramic matrix composites,polymers and electronic materials. The items mentionedherewith illustrate some of AMPTIAC capabilities.However, the uniqueness of AMPTIAC library lies in itsfocus. No other library has as many documents concentratingon the development and application of advancedmaterials for defense applications. In 1996 the librariesfrom AMPTIAC’s predecessors were shipped to our facilityin Rome, New York. Three tractor-trailers and one largetruck filled with documents arrived at our doorstep. It tookour staff nearly 6 months to unpack, organize, and shelvethe reports. Such a collection is rendered ineffective withoutsolid knowledge of its contents. IIT Research Institute,AMPTIAC’s operator, developed an electronic informationsystem that allows our technical staff to search thetitles and abstracts of these resources. Much of the library’sdatabase is searchable through the AMPTIAC website athttp://amptiac.iitri.org/InfoResources/docsearch.html.Security restrictions do not permit AMPTIAC’s on-linedatabase to reference documents that are export controlledor limited to U.S. Government agencies and contractors.AMPTIAC customers who need a bibliographic search ofthe entire database (and other government and commercialdatabases) may do so through AMPTIAC’s InquiryServices.AMPTIAC is presently working with its governmentsponsor, DTIC, to digitize the library holdings. This willallow permanent preservation of library documents. It willalso facilitate full text searching of the library contents.Considering the size of the library, the conversion of hardcopies to electronic ones is a time consuming task. Whencompleted, the electronic knowledge base will offerunprecedented access to an extremely valuable resourceand will enable improved materials selection practices.Since the majority of emerging applications can be developedusing existing materials technologies, AMPTIACcan help you select the most appropriate material basedupon the intended environment and operational requirements.The best approach starts with selecting candidatesaccording to their performance requirements and graduallynarrowing down the list by considering:1. How each material might behave in the intended environment2. Whether their fabrication processes are mature enoughto be affordable3. Whether there is any evidence of past failures in a similarapplication4. Other factors as appropriateOur staff can help you reduce risk and maintenancecosts on future systems by conducting a comprehensive,up-front analysis based on your operational requirements.AMPTIAC’s knowledge base is a tremendous asset andour staff expertise in locating and focusing informationmay well represent the most effective way for you to meetmission objectives. If you would like further informationon how we can help you, please call our inquiry serviceshotline at (315) 339-7090. ■1Thermophysical Properties Laboratory (TPL), Titanium Materials Laboratory (TML),Thermophysical Properties Information Analysis Center (TPIAC), Defense MetalsInformation Center (DMIC), Defense Ceramics Information Center (DCIC), MetalMatrix Composites Information Analysis Center (MMCIAC), Thermophysical andElectronic Properties Information Analysis Center (TEPIAC), Metals and CeramicsInformation Center (MCIC), High Temperature Materials Information Analysis Center(HTMIAC), Ceramics Information Analysis Center (CIAC), Metals InformationAnalysis Center (MIAC), and the Plastics Technical Evaluation Center (PLASTEC).The AMPTIAC Newsletter, Volume 4, Number 1 11
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