Department of Defense Names Winners for Maintenance Innovation Challenge

While hosting its Maintenance Symposium, the Department of Defense announced two winners for its annual Maintenance Innovation Challenge. The Overall Winner of the contest was a handheld infrared imager from Grey Gecko, LLC, while the People’s Choice Award went to Digital Manufacturing Exchange for transmitting protected data about repairs. Each group received a $50,000 award check for their winnings from the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

The contest was judged by principals from the Joint Technology Exchange Group, who selected the Overall Winner from five finalists and 59 initial entries, while the Peoples’ Choice winner was selected by Maintenance Innovation Challenge audience members.

According to the NCMS, the Overall Winner, Grey Gecko’s Real-Time Inspection Tool is a battery-powered infrared monitor that can detect corrosion, cracks, voids or moisture buildup through coatings of up to 25mm thick, transmitting high-resolution images to a tablet. The People’s Choice Award winner, the Advanced Manufacturing Competitive Advantage Rangefinder, reportedly works as a “accredited digital backbone” meant to transmit data and enable “point-of-need production of repair parts” using 3D printers and similar devices.