Abaris trains the troops in 2Phase tooling technology

2Phase Technologies Inc. of Dayton has subcontracted to Abaris Training of Reno for training at U.S. military repair depots. This will allow the depots to implement 2Phase's Reconfigurable Tooling Systems for depot-level repair of U.S. military rotorcraft and aircraft.

The repair system implementation is part of a $2 million third- and final-year follow-on contract that will complete development of the repair systems and transfer that technology to the military repair depots.

The repair approach makes use of 2Phase Technologies' patented state-change materials to provide integrated tooling and process systems.

Abaris Training has provided advanced composite training in all industries since 1983. It's trained more than 11,000 students in fields ranging from aerospace to automotive on how to make composites, how to repair them, and how to use them to fit specific applications.

Abaris employs 10 to teach at its training facilities in Reno, Atlanta and the United Kingdom. It also sends staff out to companies to train groups on site, says Michael Hoke, president and owner.

"It's a specialty niche market," he said. "People here haven't heard of us because we have customers all over the world; no local clients."

Until now.

Greg Mellema, an Abaris technical instructor, will direct the program for 2Phase. In February he returned from a year's assignment in Afghanistan as a staff sergeant with the Nevada National Guard. Mellema's company was assigned to Kandahar Airfield where they maintained the task force's 38 helicopters.

He will use this current hands-on expertise to assist the military repair depots in understanding and implementing the improved capabilities and very rapid turn-around times possible with the new 2Phase systems.

Hoke was acquainted with the principals of 2Phase John Crowley and Linda Clements through SAMPE, the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering.