Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics said it will partner with defense contractor BPMI to introduce advanced manufacture technology into the production of components installed on U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines.
BPMI and its suppliers will use Gecko’s robotic and AI platforms to reduce inspection time spans. Using the technology in trials, officials with the companies said inspection spans for forged components were reduced by up to 90 percent. Those improvements reduced costs and accelerated U.S. Navy schedule performance.
“Rebuilding the American Defense Industrial Base must start with having the right data – and knowing how to use it,” Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, said. “While America is building incredible technology across the defense space, they all have one thing in common – the need for parts and components we can trust. Gecko’s partnership with BPMI is about transforming American shipbuilding by interrogating the integrity of each component and building a digital thread that will improve the manufacturing process while also fundamentally changing how we operate assets throughout their lifecycles.”
Company officials said using Gecko’s robots and AI platforms will increase efficiency in the shipbuilding industry.
“Our partnership with Gecko Robotics showcases the power of connecting suppliers and advanced manufacturing technologies within the U.S. Defense Industrial Base,” Barb Staniscia, BPMI President and General Manager, said. “Gecko Robotics’ advancements will reduce the time span while maintaining the quality standards for suppliers across the industrial base—adding up to lasting and impactful effects for the U.S. Navy and our national security.”