(Gilbert, AZ): In November 2020, Nishati delivered the final two Lightweight 3kW Tactical Quiet Generator (TQG) Housing prototypes to the U.S. Army for evaluation. The delivery concluded a 20-month project in which Nishati was tasked with developing and examining material concepts to reduce the 308-lb. legacy 3kW TQG housing weight. This portable generator is widely used throughout the Department of Defense (DoD) to power weapon systems, communications, and life support capabilities.

The Army’s goal was to identify and validate a manufacturable and cost-effective 3kW TQG housing material concept that reduced housing weight by at least 10%, with a 25% objective goal. The design was required to maintain the current generator configuration, allowing for the possibility of making the housing a “drop-in” replacement for the legacy housing.

The selected Nishati design incorporated a combination of glass fiber and carbon fiber-reinforced composites along with traditional metal fabrication. The fully configured final prototypes exceeded the objective, reducing the housing weight by over 29% while meeting 11 Army-specified attributes, including a range of physical properties, environmental durability, manufacturability and affordability. The project will serve as a proof-of-concept for future DoD generators that demonstrates using composite materials for housing structural (load bearing) and enclosure components.