Hill and Figure Build on Success to Create Long-Term Solution for Chromium Exposure
[Lorton, VA]: Today, Figure Engineering, an advanced manufacturing and sustainment technologies company, has secured $750,000 in Phase II funding, resulting in a combined total investment of $900,000.

The Air Force’s Small Business Innovation Research program provides these funds to build on Figure’s success during Phase I effort; This work will focus on identifying methods for containing and mitigating airborne hazards due to abrasive blasting, a problem that will cause the Air Force millions in worker’s compensation if not handled properly. Over the next two years, Figure will work with Hill Air Force Base to develop a prototype blast cabinet and a groundbreaking Continuous Hazardous Environment Monitor (CHEM) system. These systems work jointly to control exposure to cancer-causing chemicals including Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+) and Cadmium.

Figure Engineering Chief Scientist, Jonathon McDaniels, had this to say about winning the Phase II contract: “We are excited to be working with the Air Force to develop new technologies that can help in the fight to make these critical maintenance processes safer. Even with efforts to switch to chromate-free during, this successful Phase 2 effort, Figure Engineering will: materials, Chromated coatings are still going to be coming through maintenance facilities for decades. This work will create technologies that rapidly identify and help reduce exposures.”

Over the coming year, Figure will develop the following advancements to create a portable version of their CHEMTM sensor:

• Define the requirements for and develop a prototype blast cabinet that can integrate a variety of sensors to control exposure levels.
• Develop CHEM, a continuous-time chemical monitoring system, which can integrate into the prototype blast cabinet as a sensor.
• Build upon and utilize Dust Migration Mapping technology developed in Phase I to validate the functionality of the prototype blast cabinet.