Edare is well-versed in the development and implementation of advanced manufacturing systems. Several of the Edare staff were involved in the development of a novel, patented Cryogenic Machining System (CMS) that is currently transitioning to use among the F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter supplier base. This technology uses small flow rates of liquid nitrogen routed through the internals of cutting tools to absorb the heat generated during the machining process.

During a recent program evaluation, the cycle time for an F-35 titanium part was reduced by 44%. This translates into between $350 million and $700 million of cost savings produced by the CMS relative to conventional flood cooling, if the CMS approach were broadly adopted across the F-35 program.

In 2014 Edare’s parent company, Creare, sold these patents to 5ME LLC, a spin-off of MAG Industrial Automation Systems (MAG IAS) – the largest machine tool supplier in the United States and the third largest worldwide. Currently, 5ME LLC is introducing retrofit kits for older machines, OEM-ready systems, and tooling. Edare has played a critical role in the advancement and commercialization of the CMS by being the exclusive supplier to 5ME LLC of the through-spindle lance, which is a small, thin-walled, vacuum-insulated, up to 3 meter long laser-welded assembly that enables the low-loss transport of a small flow of cryogenic liquid from the top of the machine spindle to the cutting tool. To date, Edare has supplied 5ME with approximately 20 lances that have been integrated into products. The experience gained integrating this technology into commercial machine tools has prepared Edare for the development, integration, and transition of in-space machining systems.