Reverse Engineering the B-52 Radar Blower Motor Assembly

Elevate Systems, renowned for its multidisciplinary engineering expertise, undertook an ambitious project: the B-52 Radar Blower Motor Assembly Reverse Engineering Project. The project illustrates the company's ability to address unique challenges and create innovative, cost-effective solutions.

The radar blower motor on the B-52 aircraft cools the avionics during engine start-up, taxi, and take-off. However, due to failures of the assembly and a lack of available parts, the Air Force faced significant difficulties in maintaining and operating these aircraft. This is where Elevate Systems stepped in.

Approaching the challenge head-on, Elevate Systems began by reverse engineering the radar blower motor assembly. The result was a largely new assembly, with the exception of the housings, which were successfully refurbished and reused. One key component of this assembly was the impeller, originally comprised of around 80 hand-crimped, hand-riveted aluminum and sheet metal parts. The team developed a 3D solid model of this intricate component, initially printing it in aluminum before ultimately creating a version in Ultem 9085, the only DoD-approved polymer for aircraft parts.

But innovation was not the only victory here. The project also yielded significant cost savings. The original aluminum impeller cost around $2,000 to produce. The Ultem 9085 version, on the other hand, cost a mere $300. Further cost reduction was achieved through a public-private partnership agreement with the RAPID Center at Hill Air Force Base, which produced the latest batch of impellers for just $149 each.

Elevate Systems went the extra mile by providing the Air Force with a complete set of technical, 2D, and 3D data, native CAD files, and the necessary testing data for air certification. This comprehensive approach ensured a smooth handover and immediate implementation in addition to new manufacturing sources for the needed parts.

The B-52 Radar Blower Motor Assembly Project demonstrates Elevate Systems' dedication to providing high-quality, innovative, and cost-effective solutions. The success of this project stands as a testament to their expertise and ability to address the unique challenges of aerospace engineering.