Scientific Management International (Hall 4, Stand 4480), a manufacturer of cable systems for the naval sector, is turning its attention to the aerospace market, the company has told AIN.
The UK-based company specializes in molded cable harnesses: coverings for wires and fiberoptics, protecting them from liquids. It has worked in the naval sector since the early 1990s, including on the British nuclear fleet.
The company believes there is a market for its cable systems in the aerospace sector, said Glen Richardson, Scientific Management International’s chief technology officer. Richardson said Scientific Management International uses high-pressure and high-temperature molding techniques in its naval work, which establish chemical bonds to prevent leaks. It believes "‘there are opportunities in aerospace using the same techniques to deliver cable systems resilient to fluids and chemicals, which can significantly extend the maintenance cycle," he said.
Richardson said it could adapt its through-hull technology for use in airplane fuel tanks, for example. The company uses pressure-molded thermoplastic sealing technology, which could "support the transition from hydraulic to electrical control systems," Richardson said.
"Our product has a place anywhere it's wet and dirty," he said. "An application regularly seeing those conditions—for example, the landing gear—would be a candidate," he said.
The company’s initial aerospace focus has been on the civil domain, Richardson said, though it aims to expand its work in defense, where it has been active on the naval side. The company has conducted a limited amount of work in aerospace to date including deploying cables on a proximity sensor on a fire-fighting aircraft. It has also received funding from the UK’s National Aerospace Technology Programme (NATEP) for a development project, though he said he could not provide further details.