Advancing Innovation: Custom Curved Metal Panels for Antennas and Architecture

What is the technology?

Induction heating for forming high-precision metal panels

Who is on the inventing team?

• Senior Research Associate Justin Hyatt, PhD, Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory
• R&D Engineer Christian Davila-Peralta, PhD

How were Asset Development funds used?

Funds were used to create a prototype to demonstrate that the team could manufacture custom shaped metallic cladding for a variety of applications, from antenna systems like the Very Large Array to architectural panels such as those used in the famed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

For the latter architecture application, the current state of the art is to make large numbers of small panels that can be installed together. Hyatt and Peralta developed a process to create an adjustable mold that can create virtually any shape needed, along with a quick-release method to interlock those panels.

The panels developed through this new method are lighter, take less energy to produce, and are less expensive to manufacture.

What was the outcome?

With the funds provided the team used their solution to create a demonstration panel that they can use to present their methods and systems to potential investors and customers. Through this project, they sufficiently de-risked the technology and licensed the innovations to their startup, Paramium Technologies.

Today, the team is developing projects for clients and has secured a $1 million SBIR funding grant to build out a full-scale production line.

Want to learn how you can advance your novel discovery for a better world?

Asset Development funding is a program open to all UArizona inventors. Funding is available now, apply today.

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Related story: Startup Paramium Technologies to scale up business of shaping precision satellite reflectors, 2/2/23