SBIR Phase II: Innovative Snap Joining of Composite Structures

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop snaplock design concepts for composite materials, which is a novel and patentable joining and assembly technology. Two snaplock connections were built in Phase I for testing, whereby application to a snaplocked and lightweight, tapered transmission pole was found feasible in both technical and economic terms. Phase II will design, build, and test a prototype 75-foot transmission pole, using pultrusion of two building-block profiles. A tapered beam (or tube) of any desired length is obtained by performing secondary cutting, machining, and assembly, which are operations that can be automated. Potential commercial applications are seen chiefly in the $5 billion international market for electric power transmission poles. Additional applications are expected in highway sign bridges, intermodal shipping containers, housing, and tiltrotor aircraft.