Research by two graduate students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University set the stage for a Volusia County manufacturer to produce twice the number of wire-wound cable components for “ sonobuoys ” – SONAR-based anti-submarine listening devices – in one-fourth of the production floor space .
The project , by students Gazal Kaur Nagi and Arash Sabet- Rasekh , was an example of how university-industry partnerships can both advance innovation by local manufacturers and introduce students to promising careers in Volusia County . Such partnerships can help the county retain a strong , well-trained talent pool while also making the region ’ s manufacturing sector more globally competitive .
An improved process for wrapping wire around sonobuoy
UNIVERSITY-
INDUSTRY
PARTNERSHIPS
Spur Innovation and Help Retain Local Talent
by Sathya Gangadharan and Patrick Currier
cables – developed by a Sparton Corporation engineer who was inspired by the Embry-Riddle students ’ work – significantly increased efficiency . It also helped to reduce physical stress and improve safety for employees who previously had to load raw materials into a winding machine , explained Mark K . Madore , Sparton ’ s Undersea Warfare Solutions Business Unit Director .
Sparton Corporation currently supports 534 employees . It has had a presence in the DeLeon Springs area for more than 50 years , and it is well-known for excellence in designing , developing and manufacturing complex devices , particularly sonobuoys deployed by the United States Navy .
Sonobuoys are long , flexible , cable-based devices with an underwater microphone on the bottom and a transmitting antenna on the top . Portions of the cable must be wound with
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