Advanced Design and Research
Concurrent Engineering
Survival Innovations prefers to implement design programs using concurrent engineering. Design development creates documentation incrementally. Involvement of key functional elements early in the design process has been proven to reduce the time to product launch and the overall cost of changes to the product data package and supporting documents. By investing in the early input of all participants, we save significant program costs in the long run.
Requirements Analysis
Survival Innovations design personnel have over 150 cumulative years of product design experience. Our first and most important step in creating a successful product is to thoroughly understand the customer/user requirements. At our company, a design project will not start until specific goals and thresholds are clearly defined in writing. If the customer has not developed a mission requirements statement, Survival Innovations has experience in analyzing user needs to create a Statement of Work. All tasking and design efforts will then be directly traceable to the mutually agreed upon Statement of Work.
[ Top ]
Conceptual Designs
Survival Innovations personnel are accomplished hands-on designers as well as users of computer-aided technology, utilizing whichever tool assures maximum result for minimum effort. Once the Statement of Work is established, conceptual design begins, generating a prototype model, conceptual sketches, or both. Preliminary documentation is created to fully describe the conceptual design. In some cases, this includes basic CAD work for patterns and close-tolerance items. By the end of the conceptual design process, detailed component drawings are easily generated; describing the materials, processes, and dimensions to be utilized in the concept selected for development and testing.
Trade Studies
Survival Innovations personnel continually search for alternate approaches, better materials, logistics enhancements, quality improvements, and more efficient methods of fabrication and assembly during the initial course of a design program. We believe that concurrent engineering produces cost savings which are always preferable to sequential engineering. Documented tradeoff analysis with our Customers is our common practice, and formal Trade Studies are written, if contractually required.
Progress Reviews
Survival Innovations prefers to schedule regular and thorough Progress Reviews with our Customers. User input to concept drawings and/or prototype models is critical, exposing the design to all possible scenarios, incorporating in-process design changes, and ensuring that all requirements are met prior to establishing the developmental drawing package. This process saves time, labor, and money by identifying potential problems early in the process, before the creation of detailed design documentation, which often becomes very expensive to change later in the development process.
Rigorous Testing
Survival Innovations deploys intensive simulated and live testing environments. Comprehensive testing is performed using mannequins as well as human subjects to ensure product reliability in multiple environments. Survival Innovations personnel are experienced in many test regimens: High-Speed Sled Testing, Centrifuge Testing, Horizontal Accelerator Testing, Pendulum Testing, Ejection Tower Testing, Windblast Testing, and Environmental Testing.
[ Top ]
Escape Systems
Escape Systems Experience
Survival Innovations personnel have an extensive background with ejection seats and escape systems. The staff has worked on Stencel SIIIS and S4S ejection seat design, development, test, manufacture, and support; ACES-II ejection seat upgrades, high-speed test track, horizontal accelerator, and centrifuge testing; and Space Shuttle Orbiter escape studies, design, and prototyping.
Survival Innovations personnel have worked on major programs supporting the biggest and best companies in ejection seat design and manufacturing. UPCo/Goodrich ejection seat design, testing, and component manufacture, and Martin-Baker NACES parachute improvement studies are two programs in which our staff have played key roles.
Survival Innovations escape system experience provided a unique base for development of the Head and Neck Restraint System (HNRS), which has pioneered a new approach to neck injury protection for ejection seat equipped aircraft.
Mission Equipment
Restraint Systems
Survival Innovations has experience in harness design, development, test, and manufacturing. Our ejection seat harnesses, integrated torso harnesses, and parachute harnesses have been incorporated into present military systems. Ongoing programs with the US Navy and US Air Force in restraint designs such as, Common Mobile Aircrew Restraint System (CMARS) and Head and Neck Restraint System demonstrates the creative capabilities of Survival Innovations.
[ Top ]
Flotation Devices
Survival Innovations personnel hold numerous patents for flotation devices, including the Low-Profile Flotation Collar currently in use by all branches of service. Our certified riggers provide repacking and repair services for various flotation devices.
Survival Vests
Survival Innovations staff designed and manufactured survival vests and related equipment pockets for the US military and Government agencies. Designs included chem-bio vest, overvest, and pockets, as well as equipment pockets for regulators, pistols, ammo clips, flashlights, radios, flashbang/stingball devices, and medical supplies, among others.
[ Top ]
Helmet Systems
Survival Innovations staff continues to meet the mission needs of the US Military in the area of individual survival equipment and specialized systems.
Production Capabilities
Survival Innovations can meet your small volume manufacturing needs with a qualified staff having a combined total of more than 150 years experience in both mechanical hardware fabrication and textile product development. This includes manufacturing engineering, tool design, document control, quality assurance, purchasing, inspection, scheduling, supervision, and production management. Survival Innovations is a specialized sewing contractor, providing build-to-print services and rapid turnaround for both small quantity production and prototyping.
[ Top ]