The U.S. Army awarded GS Engineering a Phase I SBIR to develop and implement cost-efficient chassis suspension improvements on the M997A3 ambulance, to soften and smooth out the ride for patients, attendants, drivers, and commanders while traversing terrain in remote environments. Equally important to this effort is restoring full use of the top two bunks by improving the initial response to shock loads.

“This is an exciting new opportunity for GS Engineering to apply our experience with suspension design and optimization through modeling and simulation as we have successfully demonstrated in the past with various military and commercial clients.” – Lyle Anderson, Principal Investigator

In Phase I GS Engineering will analyze the current suspension system of the M997A3 ambulance to develop a better understanding of any unique challenges. This data will be used to systematically select and test a variety of components to reduce shock load during transport. Additionally, padding material with be obtained that can be used during developmental and operational testing. This will play a critical role in identifying the optimal material to reduce shock and vibration. These efforts will set the stage for lessening the effects of vibrations on personnel during transport and allow for further improvements.

“A lot of effort has been placed on protecting the warfighter from IED’s and roadside bomb blast events and has not necessarily been focused on protecting the injured during evacuation out of the war zone. Although these are completely different events, many of the same technologies can also be applied in both applications, with the goal being the safety and comfort of the warfighter. Through material and component selection, combined with ride quality optimization, GS Engineering plans to greatly improve the M997A3 suspension performance and occupant safety as part of this program.” – Lyle Anderson, Principal Investigator

“These improvements could be integrated into vehicles used by first responders as well as commercial vehicles especially those needing to traverse difficult terrain such as expedition vehicles, offroad recovery vehicles, utility maintenance vehicles or personal transport vehicles for the mining, and oil and gas industries. Through improved ride quality, fatigue and the potential for injury is reduced, allowing drivers and passengers to perform at their best, both during transit and upon arrival.” – Rob Minger, Product Manager