Thanks to a partnership between the University of Oklahoma through its Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovation Institute and the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Force Base, a new, innovative solution is being developed to address rudder issues on the B-1B aircraft.
Under the guidance of Kuang-Hua Chang, Ph.D., David Ross Boyd Professor and Williams Companies Foundation Presidential Professor in the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Tristen Portis and Rick Lucio, both recent OU graduates of the Gallogly College of Engineering, not only helped develop real-world solutions to a B-1B problem but have now both accepted full-time positions at Tinker Air Force Base.
CNC, or computer numerical control, directs a machine to cut, grind or drill shapes from materials like metal and plastic. CAD, or computer-aided design, is a manufacturing process that uses computer software to create 2D drawings or 3D models of products to help engineers visualize a product's construction before it is fabricated.
Portis, a mechanical engineering graduate, provided updates to the 3D model and manufactured parts in the CNC machine for the project. Since graduating, he has accepted a position as a mechanical engineer for the Propulsion Maintenance Group at Tinker AFB.
"This project provided plenty of real and applicable experience with manufacturing," Portis said. "After spending many years in school, I am ready to leave my mark as an engineer. It also fills me with pride that I get to support the Air Force and its mission."
Lucio, who designed two of the aluminum parts for this project, is now a mechanical engineer with the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast, which supports the E6B Mercury aircraft platform.
"I am excited about this new job because we are responsible for keeping critical resources in the air, which requires us to work on a wide breadth of projects," Lucio said. "I cannot thank Dr. Chang enough for the opportunity to work on the B-1B project."
Dating back to the summer of 2020, OU and the OC-ALC signed an Educational Partnership Agreement that promised to cultivate aerospace technology development and improve and enhance education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Portis and Lucio's career advancements are outcrops of this agreement and highlight the success of the University of Oklahoma's workforce pipeline programs.
