Photo By Senior Airman William Lunn | Technical Sgt. Ryan Rinn, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Innovation Lab non-commissioned...... read more read more
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MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – McConnell’s Innovation lab is the place where Airmen can go to 3-D print, create prototypes, and even create new inventions that have been put to use here on base. Utilizing the ingenuity of Airmen, the Innovation Lab affords Airmen an area to troubleshoot work center problems and foster ideas for new inventions.
The Innovation Lab is responsible for rapid prototyping and creating solutions to help the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, and some of these solutions can be applicable to the wider Air Force. The lab is in hangar nine, otherwise known as the “Stearman Hangar” and it is located on the Guard side of the base near the Civil Engineering building. Their purpose is to help enable a quick response for anyone on base in need of their productions.
“An Airman was able to find a solution of a boom creating friction with an aircraft as a result of it being too close, a bracket was made at the Innovation Lab, and he was able to solve the issue by creating separation,” said Tech Sgt. Ryan Winn, NCOIC of the Innovation Lab. “We have
also taken a large part in creating things that have helped Explosive Ordinance Disposal such as creating materials for detonation that not harmful to the environment.”
The Innovation lab has a lot of different tools in order to make this happen including a wide-range of capabilities from wood working with table saws and plangers, also six different kinds of Computer Numerical Control machines.
Recent Innovation Lab projects have included a deployable solar-powered radio box, a tool to clear concrete jams in a Bagela Asphalt Recycler, to increase safety during runway repair; working with Wichita State University students to create an autonomous robot which uses ultraviolet C-lights to clean grocery stores; and 3-D printing of face shield frames for local
healthcare workers, during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Airmen have commonly used the various tools available to them to make items such as plaques or posters for their office.
“You don’t have know the solution,” said Master Sgt. Andrew Parise, superintendent of the Innovation Lab. “All we need is your idea, come to us with a problem and we can either help you figure it out, or we can reach out through lots of different avenues and come up with a solution.”
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2022 15:15 |
| Story ID: | 428935 |
| Location: | MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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