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Physical Sciences USACA Spotlight

Press Release

Press Release

Physical Sciences Inc. is leading the industry in research and development of advanced composites and its groundbreaking work in hypersonics was recently featured by the United States Advanced Ceramics Association (USACA). 

“We want to be not only the lowest cost provider of silicon carbide composites,” George Rodgers, PSI’s Vice President for Advanced Composites, told the Advanced Ceramics Insights newsletter. “We also want to lead the industry in cycle time. We want to be the low-cost, rapid supplier of very high- performing [ceramic matrix composites].”

The association published an interview with Rodgers and John Steinbeck, a Principal Research Scientist, about the state of the composites industry and some of PSI’s cutting-edge work.

USACA: What do you think has changed the most in advanced ceramics?

John Steinbeck: For a very long time, ceramic composites went in and out of favor. For example, high-temperature ceramics would be hot in the DoD (Department of Defense), and then it would go away for other priorities. 

A couple of things have changed that. The long-term investment made by General Electric to get the CMCs in their engine products has driven the private sector to push more because all the other large turbine manufacturers are afraid of being left behind. The second is the relatively sustained effort of the DoD to build hypersonic systems. These developments coincide with the ability to make materials that can withstand much higher temperatures and meet some of these unique defense applications. 

USACA: Do you see growth areas beyond DoD?

John Steinbeck: We’ve also had a lot of interest from the rocket motor companies lately, including building nozzle extensions and a few other parts. The private rocket motor companies are coming to us, asking about CMCs because of the lighter weight and greater durability to accommodate the high-temperature fuels they are all trying to use to put more stuff in orbit for less money. 

USACA: PSI has an ambitious vision for scaling up this work in the next few years.

George Rodgers: We want to supply flying machines. Right now, we are living on contracted research. We’re doing well with contracts. We’re in the game on almost all the major hypersonic programs. We have unique capabilities to help with the affordability and the cycle time.

John Steinbeck: And we think our ultra-high temperature material gives us a leg up for future systems that are well beyond Mach 5. 

USACA: What are you aiming for in terms of cycle time?

George Rodgers: Right now, we are not fully vertically integrated. We outsource a couple of key processes. When we’re fully vertically integrated, our cycle time’s going to be about a month.

Reached after the interview, Rodgers continued, “Bringing all of the processes required for CMC production in-house represents a significant capital investment and the equipment has very long lead times.  We will make those investments when we have a design win to size the equipment appropriately and provide our customers the best value.”