Fast, Precise Dead-End Welding Device for superior, high-quality welds in tubing NASA Goddard Space Flight Center invites companies to license this dead-end welding device for use in the welding of tubing. This technology solves the problem of unacceptable welds in dead-end configurations. This technology produces consistently high quality dead-end welds in a fraction of the time required when using conventional welding techniques.

The Technology The welding of tubing presents specific challenges, particularly in dead-end configurations. In order to meet welding standards, typical tubal welding requires an internal gas flow-through purge with a restrictor on the end of the purge component. The restrictor controls the internal pressure to prevent the weld from falling in or blowing out. When confronted with a tubes closed end (i.e., a dead-end configuration), however, the gas purge has no exit. The increase in pressure within the component produces a faulty weld. Using conventional techniques, the only way to get an acceptable weld in a dead-end configuration is to do numerous practice welds before welding the actual component. .By controlling the internal pressure of the gas purge during welding, this new technology produces consistently reliable and high quality welds with minimal setup time. The unique device is composed of a vent tube with vent holes, a gas supply, a flexible Teflon tube connected to a flow meter, and a T fitting (see diagram). Gas flows from the gas supply to the T fitting and then flows through the tube to the dead-end weld configuration assembly. As the pressure within the tube increases, the flow of gas exits through holes in the vent tube and escapes through the Teflon tube. The flow meter, which is attached to the Teflon tube and preset to a specific value based on the tube size, regulates the pressure along the Teflon tubing. This technology has been proven to be highly successful with many dead-end weld configurations as well as with various alloys. It produces a consistently higher quality dead-end weld than conventional welding techniques and does so in a fraction of the time. Its monitoring capability enables precision control in any dead-end configuration. It is a reliable and very low maintenance device that presents no safety concerns Benefits Fast: By eliminating the need for multiple practice runs in order to get an acceptable bead, this technology sig-nificantly saves time in the welding process; Precise: The technology allows monitoring and precision control of the internal purge pressure for dead-end welds; High quality: Consistently above NASA standard requirements, the dead-end welds produced with this technology are consistent, structurally sound, and of high quality; and Versatile: The technology has been proven effective on many alloys and in many configurations. Applications Pneumatic or hydraulic tubing Submarines Satellite propulsion systems Nuclear power plants High-purity gas processing facilities Brake lines Automobiles Aircraft

Sprowtt Launch Pad Inc. was founded in 2019 as a subsidiary of Sprowtt Inc. Sprowtt, the parent company established in 2012, is a financial technology (FinTech) company that specializes in creating capital formation and revenue generating software platforms for the burgeoning capital raising industry created by the JOBS Act for medium sized issuer companies. Sprowtt Launch Pad Inc. plans to lead a robust federal lab-to-market campaign designed to stimulate technology transfer of U.S> government patanetdd inventions with strong market potential. This will be done through broad participation by leading colleges and universities and individual entrepreneurs, and focus on supporting commercialization of a wide-ranege of high-tech prodcust and services with technlgocal roots in the deferral government. The inititive will be enabled by the development and operation of Sprowtt’s Technlogy Transfer Gateway. The management team of Sprowtt Launch Pad has five decades of entrepreneurial experience, and has numerous years of experience successfully launching and managing more than a dozen early-stage ventures. The Sprowtt Launch Pad team has collectively raised several rounds of early stage capital and knows what it takes to launch a successful early stage company. The Sprowtt Launch Pad team has the experience to facilitate bringing together the right technology with the right entrepreneurs and partner them with the U.S. government technology transfer professionals to license the inteletual property. Sprowtt Lauch Pad is comitted to building successful early stage companies based on team relationships. Confidence and experience are important in bringing attractive and growing companies to our platform. All Americans now have the same opportunity to participate in Sprowtt Launch Pad through team building, with the right technologies available through governmentsponsored technology transfer programs.