From press release

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-16) announced Dec. 16 he has secured $4.8 million in federal funds for northern Illinois manufacturers working on advanced research and development projects for the Department of Defense.

The funding is included in the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations conference report, which the House approved with Manzullo’s support. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill later this week before sending it to the president for his signature. Manzullo secured funds for the following initiatives:

Fuel System Component Manufacturing Technology Improvement Program—$1.6 million for the Northern Illinois University ROCK program (Rapid Optimization of Commercial Knowledge)—NIU will work in cooperation with Woodward Governor in Loves Park to develop improved manufacturing processes for fuel handling components to enable more affordable, longer-lasting and lighter-weight components for fuel systems for both Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial vehicle systems. Both military and commercial vehicle systems operators need to dramatically improve fuel economies and durability while lowering acquisition and maintenance costs. This technology research and development initiative will help enable improved fuel systems for aircraft turbine engines as well as industrial power generation turbines and engines.

NIU has developed a solid relationship with the military supply system, and has worked with a number of small- and medium-size companies in the Rockford area that are developing new products for improved processing of precision small parts as well as parts fabricated out of titanium. These include laser cladding, micro-forming, five-axis micro-machining, plasma compaction, small- to medium-scale titanium alloy powder production, among others.

Thermal and Energy Management for Aerospace program (THEMA)—$3.2 million for a Defense Department research project—The project, which will be completed by Hamilton Sundstrand in Rockford, will address future military air vehicles’ needs for increasingly higher levels of power for avionics, radar, high-power weapons, radar, vehicle flight controls and other vehicle subsystems. Hamilton Sundstrand has initiated the Thermal and Energy Management for Aerospace program (THEMA) to develop the technologies needed to control and thermally manage the high power, electronic subsystems inherent in projected high performance, “more electric” air vehicles. Integration and application of efficient, high-performance thermal management technologies for power electronics are critical to meet future vehicle capability and performance requirements.

Manzullo said: “These manufacturing technology projects conducted by NIU and Rockford-area companies will help enhance our region as a center for advanced manufacturing technology. These projects will create more technology jobs in the Rockford area, increase the collaboration of NIU engineering staff and our local hi-tech manufacturers, and give our local manufacturers a competitive advantage in government and commercial procurement. I will continue to work on initiatives like these that will help grow manufacturing companies and create jobs in our region.”