Parts Life, Inc. SBIR Success: Conquering the Valley of Death and Fueling Mission Readiness for the DoD

Moorestown, NJ, May 08, 2023 --(PR.com)-- The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a government initiative providing funding to small businesses for research and development (R&D) projects with potential commercial or defense applications. However, navigating the SBIR program can be challenging, particularly when dealing with the notorious Valley of Death – the gap between Phase II and Phase III, where businesses struggle to bridge the divide between research and commercialization.

Parts Life, Inc. (PLI) has successfully navigated the SBIR program and the Valley of Death by focusing on performance, reliability, and addressing the Department of Defense (DoD)'s most critical needs. PLI has expanded its capabilities to address essential DMSMS and obsolescence issues and enhance reverse engineering, quality, and manufacturing to deliver parts and components to the fleet.

To facilitate SBIR Phase III success, PLI invested in advanced material scanning and 3D scanning technology, improving their internal quality control and material certification capabilities. Furthermore, the company has made targeted investments in dedicated manufacturing equipment and in-house non-destructive testing capabilities, empowering them to validate manufacturing processes and generate prototypes for SBIR contracts.

Two notable SBIR Phase III successes highlight how Parts Life, Inc. has skillfully navigated the SBIR program to avoid the Valley of Death and complete several Phase III contracts:

Rapid Development and Delivery of RAM Fin Seals for the AGM-86B Air Launch Cruise Missile (ALCM): Parts Life quickly developed new seals, earning a follow-up Phase III Production contract within just three months of the Phase I award. PLI delivered over 800 new RAM Fin Seals only five months later, helping keep the AGM-86B ALCM mission-ready.

Development of an Improved AGM-86B Engine Inlet Seal: Parts Life researched, manufactured, and tested an innovative new paint-on coating with similar elastomeric properties to the seal itself. The improved design underwent extensive review and testing by both the Engineering Support Activity (ESA) and the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) before being approved by the Air Force. Parts Life is now successfully producing and delivering production quantities of these improved Engine Inlet Seals under a Phase III Production contract.

To date, Parts Life, Inc. has completed multiple SBIR contracts, leading to 14 active or completed Phase III Production contracts, supplying critical components for various platforms, including the TF33 Engine, AGM-86B ALCM, MK48 Torpedo, and F/A-18 Super Hornet. The SBIR program has been important to PLI's growth and ability to serve the U.S. warfighter and the U.S. taxpayer, with strong Government teams administrating SBIR awards helping PLI stay focused on the most urgent DMSMS issues and avoid the Valley of Death.

About Parts Life, Inc. (PLI): PLI is a certified AS9100D engineering service provider, manufacturer, and alternate source supplier for DMSMS and obsolete replacement components on military systems and subsystems. PLI's value-added reverse engineering processes address missing or incomplete technical data needed prior to manufacturing, with services such as R.O.P.E.® (Rapid Obsolescence Planning and Execution) and 5R® (Reverse Engineering, Remanufacturing, Recertify, Repair, Replicate) delivering manufacturable data with source approval to manufacture replacement parts. In the Prototype Integration Facility, parts and components are manufactured and tested for form, fit, and function to ensure each piece meets and surpasses OEM requirements. PLI's electronic, electric, and electrical manufacturing capabilities include wiring harnesses and electronic test sets, showcasing their commitment to providing comprehensive solutions for the DoD's critical needs.