Bonded MetPreg™ Repair
Established in 1963, the R&D 100 Awards is the only S&T (science and technology) awards competition that recognizes new commercial products, technologies, and materials for their technological significance that are available for sale or license. The R&D 100 Awards, celebrating the program's 60th Anniversary this year, has long been a benchmark of excellence for industry sectors as diverse as telecommunications, high-energy physics, software, manufacturing, and biotechnology. This 2022 R&D 100 winner is listed below, along with its respective category.
Category: Mechanical/Materials
Developers: Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd.
United States
Product Description:The Bonded MetPreg Repair (BMR) system, developed by Touchstone Research Laboratory, is a revolutionary fatigue crack arrestor system for making either temporary or permanent repairs to load bearing structures on Navy ships while at sea. The repair is as simple as bonding on a patch, without the need to perform destructive processing such as drill stopping or doubler plate repair methods. The BMR system allows for quick and easy repairs. Unlike traditional polymer composite repairs, BMR repairs can typically be done with no post application processes. The BMR system utilizes the world’s strongest aluminum, MetPreg, a fiber-reinforced aluminum that has the strength and stiffness of high strength steel with the weight of traditional aluminum alloys. The BMR system can be designed to fit the customer’s needs and is a great solution for repairs to ships with aluminum hulls or superstructures. Future markets for this product include aircraft and automotive repairs.
Developers: Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd.
United States
Product Description:The Bonded MetPreg Repair (BMR) system, developed by Touchstone Research Laboratory, is a revolutionary fatigue crack arrestor system for making either temporary or permanent repairs to load bearing structures on Navy ships while at sea. The repair is as simple as bonding on a patch, without the need to perform destructive processing such as drill stopping or doubler plate repair methods. The BMR system allows for quick and easy repairs. Unlike traditional polymer composite repairs, BMR repairs can typically be done with no post application processes. The BMR system utilizes the world’s strongest aluminum, MetPreg, a fiber-reinforced aluminum that has the strength and stiffness of high strength steel with the weight of traditional aluminum alloys. The BMR system can be designed to fit the customer’s needs and is a great solution for repairs to ships with aluminum hulls or superstructures. Future markets for this product include aircraft and automotive repairs.
BMR Development Team Photo