Amalga’s Carbon Fiber Tow Essential to Development of Underwater Research Technology
Client: Teledyne Webb Research
Problem:
Teledyne Webb Research creates underwater gliders which are used to research and track underwater activities and monitor weather conditions. They must be long-range, made to withstand extreme pressure, and incredibly corrosive environments. Because these can be left underwater for long periods of time, they must also be buoyancy-driven to conserve precious energy. Teledyne needed a solution from Amalga to meet all of these requirements in addition to a product that could be deployed from any size vessel, with minimal time on station, in order to meet requirements for a variety of applications.
The Amalga Solution:
Amalga used high-strength and stiff carbon fiber tow at varying wind angles, and an impregnation system to create a hull that is assured to be leak proof at depth and auto ballasts. The hull is lightweight and buoyant, allowing it to surface without using battery power. Amalga’s carbon fiber is naturally corrosion-resistant and 5 times stronger than steel, making it well-suited to withstand the extreme temperature and pressure changes found at deep levels below the surface of the sea. Because Amalga’s carbon fiber is corrosion-resistant and strong, this is also a durable solution that can maintain structural integrity for long periods of time underwater, making it ideally suited for extensive research.
Results:
In the words of our happy client, we have had a hand in creating the “most prolific” modular underwater glider that has proven itself by completing multiple ocean deployments, in a variety of applications.
