Wilmington, MA, March 26, 2003. kSARIA has been awarded the first phase of a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract by Lockheed Martin to develop automation equipment for the manufacture of fiber optic cable assemblies and patch cords. Acting under a 2002 Directive by the US Department of Defense (DoD) to apply advanced technologies for building future military systems, Lockheed Martin will look to kSARIA to develop automation equipment for the manufacture of optical parts used in Navy air, land, sea and other DoD systems.
"The application of advanced photonic technologies is required to build future state-of-the-art military systems", said David Enlow, Advanced Communications and Technology Development Program Manager, Lockheed Martin. "After an exhaustive search, we concluded that kSARIA is the only company with the proven automation skill set for manufacturing optical fiber assemblies and patch cords. We will rely on kSARIA's expertise, technology and process experience to develop key automated manufacturing systems and processes for the US Navy."
"We are pleased to be awarded this strategically important contract," stated Sebastian J. Sicari, President and CEO of kSARIA. "By leveraging kSARIA's proven automation leadership, this contract will significantly move the overall optics industry away from manual fiber optic assembly processes. We are proud to be able to help the Navy and DoD realize its objectives by delivering solid, innovative solutions."
The kSARIA/Lockheed Martin relationship is managed by the Navy's Manufacturing Technology (MANTECH) Program Office. The MANTECH Program was instituted by the Department of Defense to motivate industry to develop and implement cost saving manufacturing processes and equipment which contribute to the affordability of military systems. The application of fiber optics in these systems provides many technical advantages over traditional copper cables. Therefore, the ability to manufacture fundamental optical fiber assemblies and patch cords quickly, affordably, and without error is of strategic importance.
The prevalent method for manufacturing fiber optic assemblies and patch cords is a highly manual process that comes with a built-in degree of "human" error that is simply unacceptable for use in fail-safe military systems. kSARIA's fully automated manufacturing capability for fiber optic assemblies and patch cords virtually eliminates errors, which results in increased reliability of the part and system in which it resides.
For more information, visit www.ksaria.com .
Optical Manufacturing