Clinkenbeard Opens Mechanical Prototypes Division
The division’s first project was a full-size jet engine mockup for the United States Air Force.
Clinkenbeard (Rockford, Illinois), a manufacturer specializing in the rapid production of complex metal castings and machined parts, has opened a new Mechanical Prototypes division. The division’s first project was a full-scale F-135 jet engine training mockup.
“Creating a full-size mockup is much more cost effective for the customer than producing an entire engine solely for training purposes,” says Matt Gustafson, director of innovation.
After 15 months of production, the prototype is now used as a hands-on instructional tool for maintenance training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The mockup is the seventh of its kind that Clinkenbeard has manufactured for the F-35 program over the past 10 years.
