TurboCombustor Technology, Inc. Joins Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing

RICHMOND, VA., OCTOBER 9, 2012 – The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) today announced that Florida-based TurboCombustor Technology, Inc. (TCT) is its newest member. Its membership is the result of many weeks of meetings and information sharing, including a meeting with Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Virginia economic development officials and CCAM leadership at the Farnborough Airshow during the Governor’s trade mission to the United Kingdom in July.

TCT manufactures high-precision components and assemblies for aircraft engines and gas turbines, parts that demand cutting-edge surface engineering to survive extreme temperatures generated by engine operation. The company, which is privately held, also provides component overhaul and repair services. As part of its CCAM membership, TCT will contribute advanced manufacturing equipment used to develop, process and test coatings, as well as perform advanced surface engineering tasks. By having the equipment in CCAM’s labs, industry members can broaden their research scope and tackle pressing challenges.

“In light of our core manufacturing and repair processes and CCAM’s focus on manufacturing systems and surface coatings, the decision to join as an industry partner was simple,” said Greg Bennett, President and CEO for TCT. “As a global supplier in the highly competitive aerospace and gas turbine engine business, we must offer our customers the best in manufacturing solutions. Collaborative research at CCAM will help us sharpen our edge in the marketplace.”

CCAM brings together best-in-class manufacturers, Virginia’s top research universities and CCAM’s experienced scientists and engineers in an exclusive R&D collaboration designed to help industry accelerate the transfer of laboratory innovations to production-line solutions. Industry sets the research agenda and joins dedicated university and CCAM researchers in pursuit of new discoveries that improve products, processes and profits.

CCAM recently completed construction of its new, state-of-the-art, 60,000 square-foot facility in Prince George County, Va., just south of Richmond. The building features computational and engineering research labs in addition to high bay production space for commercial scale equipment and other tools required to explore CCAM’s research focus areas – surface engineering and manufacturing systems.

In addition to TCT, other CCAM industry members include Aerojet, Canon Virginia, Chromalloy, Mitutoyo America Corporation, Newport News Shipbuilding, Rolls-Royce, Sandvik Coromant, Siemens and Sulzer Metco. University members include the University of Virginia, Virginia State University and Virginia Tech. For a full list of CCAM members, visit www.ccam-va.com.

“The momentum at CCAM continues with TCT bringing its reputation, insight and expertise to CCAM’s membership,” said David R. Lohr, CCAM’s president and executive director. “With TCT and other incredible manufacturing minds under the same roof, we’re going to see some truly remarkable breakthroughs emerging from CCAM that will reinvent advanced manufacturing.”

About TurboCombustor Technology
TurboCombustor Technology provides advanced manufacturing services and solutions, including laser services, air flow measurement, thermal coatings and electric discharge machine services, to the world’s major turbine engine manufacturers. Additionally, the company provides concurrent engineering expertise and integration capability using state-of-the-art processes, such as Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma. Based in Stuart, Florida, the company also has operations in Cincinnati and Budapest, Hungary. For more information, please visit www.tct-inc.com.

About the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing
CCAM is a research-based collaboration between the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University and manufacturing companies worldwide. Manufacturers join CCAM as members and guide research leveraging both university faculty and CCAM scientists in two focus areas: surface engineering and manufacturing systems. CCAM recently completed a 60,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art research facility in Prince George County, Va., adjacent to Rolls-Royce’s jet engine components plant. CCAM took occupancy of the research center on September 11, 2012. For more information, visit www.ccam-va.com.