DAYTON, Ohio – January 26, 2021 – Materials Resources LLC (MRL), a small business defense contractor, today announced a significant company expansion and unveiled a first-of-its-kind microscope designed to inspect aerospace components at unprecedented speed and resolution. The announcement was made at MRL’s Greene County facility, with U.S. Congressman Mike Turner in attendance to commemorate the milestone.
The new state-of-the-art machine, developed from a patent held by MRL, represents a major leap forward in materials science. Originally a project for the U.S. Air Force and later the U.S. Navy, the technology provides critical analysis of aerospace titanium components, ensuring the integrity and durability of 3D metallic printed parts.
“It’s like seeing your baby get born,” said Dr. Ayman Salem, CEO of MRL. “This machine is based on a patent that we have here… This is the first of a kind microscope that can see atoms and that can give us the crystal clear graphic orientation of the material. This is important for the 3D metallic printed parts to know how long they will last, how strong they will be.”
The microscope operates at a record speed of 200,000 pixels per second and captures details at a resolution of half a micron—for comparison, a human hair is approximately 100 microns thick. Its versatile design allows it to analyze samples as small as a quarter and as large as an airplane wing.
The innovation comes as MRL announces significant growth, a testament to its resilience and strategic planning. The company successfully navigated the challenges of the past year with the help of the federal CARES Act, which enabled it to retain its entire workforce. This stability paved the way for expansion, with the company adding 22 new employees in 2020 and announcing plans to create at least 10 new high-tech jobs in 2021.
Congressman Turner praised MRL’s contribution to both national defense and the local economy.
“Today I joined Materials Resources, LLC (MRL) to commemorate the release of new imaging capabilities that will both advance aerospace technology and support our local economy. In a time when small businesses have been hard hit by the pandemic, I’m grateful that coronavirus relief legislation that I supported allowed MRL to retain their workforce, and in doing so, helped secure their expansion and new jobs in our community,” said Turner. “In Congress, I’ll continue working to support all of our community’s small businesses and defense contractors.”
MRL’s expansion and technological advancements solidify its position as a leader in defense innovation and a key contributor to the economic vitality of the Dayton region.
