What Technology Assessment and Transfer does

Technology Assessment and Transfer, Inc. (TA&T) is an advanced materials and toll manufacturing company founded in 1983 by Dr. Larry Fehrenbacher and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland (Annapolis metro). Since July 2022, TA&T has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SINTX Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SINT), and runs the Tethon 3D brand for ceramic 3D printing. The company develops and commercializes advanced ceramic materials and processes across five core product lines: spinel and optical ceramics (transparent armor, MWIR windows/lenses, domes), advanced ceramic matrix composites and CVD/PVD coatings, ceramic stereolithography 3D printing, medical device components, and ceramic investment casting cores. Underlying technology includes proprietary Ceramic Stereolithography (CSL) since 1997, gas-pulsed reverse thermal gradient CVI (GP-RTG CVI) for CMCs, hot and cold isostatic pressing, pressureless sintering, and multilayer CVD/magnetron sputtered coatings.

TA&T generates revenue through four streams: (1) hardware sales of custom advanced ceramic components to defense, aerospace, biomedical, and industrial customers, (2) toll processing services covering mixing, spray drying, pressing, sintering, coating, and 3D printing, (3) technology licensing to high-volume manufacturers, and (4) government R&D funding via SBIR/STTR and Broad Agency Announcements. Pricing is quote-based on custom specifications, typically structured as multi-year contracts. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales into defense contractors (GE, Lockheed, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE), aerospace primes, federal agencies (NASA, US Army TARDEC, DARPA, AFRL, ONR, MDA, SOCOM, NIH, DOE, NSF), and select medical device manufacturers. Named program milestones include ceramic heater bodies for NASA's Curiosity Rover SAM instrument suite, the lightest known armor qualified to Army ATPD-2352R for ground combat vehicles, and helicopter MITAS-qualified spinel armor for Blackhawk, Chinook, and Apache platforms.

Name

Technology Assessment and Transfer

Legal name

Technology Assessment & Transfer, Inc.

Website

https://techassess.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Technology Assessment and Transfer is an advanced ceramics R&D and toll manufacturer, founded 1983 and now a wholly-owned subsidiary of SINTX Technologies, serving defense, aerospace, biomedical, and industrial customers with transparent spinel armor, ceramic matrix composites, ceramic stereolithography 3D printing, and CVD coatings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing

NAICS

Pottery, Ceramics, and Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing (327110), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Pottery & Related Products (3260), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Ceramic & Glass 3D Printing Services (IMAAADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medical & Dental 3D Printing Services (patient-specific devices, dental labs) (IMAAADAG)

Keywords

• Advanced ceramic manufacturing
• Toll processing services
• Transparent ceramic armor
• Ceramic matrix composites
• Additive manufacturing ceramics

Headquarters

HQ city

Annapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Advanced Materials Manufacturing: Manufacturing and sale of advanced ceramic components including transparent armor, optical ceramics, ceramic matrix composites, and 3D printed ceramic parts for defense, aerospace, biomedical, and industrial applications.
2. Toll Processing Services: Contract manufacturing services where customers outsource specific ceramic processing operations including mixing, spray drying, pressing, sintering, coating, and 3D printing. Provides batch processing capabilities from laboratory scale to multiple kilograms.
3. Technology Licensing: Licensing material and process technologies to high-volume manufacturing companies. TA&T licenses its advanced materials development IP and manufacturing processes for use across various industries.
4. Government R&D Funding: Funding through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 and Phase 2 programs, Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and Phase 3 Broad Agency Announcements for advanced materials research and development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Technology Assessment & Transfer (TA&T) manufactures advanced ceramic components and provides toll processing services for defense, aerospace, biomedical, and industrial customers. Its offering spans transparent spinel armor and electro-optical windows, ceramic matrix composites, CVD/PVD coatings, and ceramic stereolithography-based 3D printed parts. The company also licenses its proprietary materials and process IP to high-volume manufacturers and pursues government R&D contracts.

Product overview

Technology Assessment & Transfer (TA&T), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SINTX Technologies, operates as a toll manufacturing and R&D services company specializing in advanced ceramic materials. The portfolio centers on five core product lines: (1) Spinel and Optical Ceramics for transparent armor and electro-optics; (2) Advanced Ceramic Composites and Coatings including CMCs via CVI/PIP processes and CVD/PVD coatings; (3) 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing using ceramic stereolithography (SLA/DLP) for aerospace, medical, and industrial applications; (4) Specialized ceramic components including MWIR windows/lenses, transparent domes/armor, investment casting cores, and medical device parts. These products are supported by toll processing services encompassing hot/cold isostatic pressing, pressureless sintering, coating application, materials characterization, mixing, and spray drying. TA&T bridges laboratory-to-marketplace by providing both manufacturing services and developing subsidiary companies for defense/aerospace markets, while licensing technologies to high-volume manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TETHON 3D: TA&T's brand for ceramic matrix composites, coatings, and related advanced ceramic manufacturing services, including CVI-PIP fabrication and PVD magnetron sputtered coatings.

Products and services

• Spinel and Optical Ceramics Transparent spinel ceramic armor and electro-optical windows (flat and curved), domes, lenses, and hemispheres for aerospace, defense, and optical applications. Spinel transmits from UV through MWIR wavelengths with high hardness and chemical resistance; the spinel armor is 50% lighter and 50% thinner than state-of-the-art ballistic glass.
• Advanced Ceramic Composites and Coatings Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC), Metal Matrix Composites (MMC), and C/C composites produced via proprietary gas-pulsed reverse thermal gradient CVI (GP-RTG CVI), plus refractory CVD coatings and magnetron sputtered PVD coatings for extreme environment applications.
• Ultra-Lightweight Transparent Spinel Armor Lightweight transparent ceramic armor qualified to U.S. Army ATPD-2352R ballistic specification for ground combat vehicles and helicopter Multiple Impact Transparent Armor System (MITAS) applications; 50% lighter and 50% thinner than conventional ballistic glass.
• Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing of Ceramics Ceramic stereolithography (SLA/DLP) 3D printing services using proprietary alumina, zirconia, and silica resin compositions, including custom resin development and ceramic core/mold fabrication for investment casting.
• Medical Device Components and Parts 3D biomedical printing, medical device parts including ablation tips, electrosurgical insulators, and custom implants for dental, surgical, and radiology applications.
• MWIR Windows and Lenses Mid-Wave Infrared optical components for thermal detection, autonomous vehicles, surveillance systems, and infrared thermography applications.
• Transparent Domes and Armor Impact-resistant and shatterproof transparent domes and armor made from spinel ceramic for aerospace, military, and maritime applications; includes sensor lenses.
• Components for Investment Casting Ceramic cores for investment casting using wax molds, enabling complex part geometries in stainless steel, superalloys, and aluminum for aerospace, industrial, and automotive sectors.
• Pressing Services Hot pressing (30-ton and 600-ton vacuum presses, 2" to 36" diameter, up to 1650°C), hot isostatic pressing (HIP, 20" x 62" chamber, 2000°C, 15,000 PSI), and cold isostatic pressing (CIP, 12" x 34", 30,000 PSI).
• Pressureless Sintering High-temperature processing without pressure using air furnaces (1650°C, up to 6" diameter) and vacuum furnaces (1900°C, up to 20" diameter) for ceramic and metallic components; capable of thinning layers down to 50 microns.
• Coating Services CVD coatings (C, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, Ti, Re, SiC, NbC, ZrC, HfC, Mo2C, TaC, B4C and others), magnetron sputtered multilayer coatings, thermal barrier coatings (TBC), and environmental barrier coatings (EBC).
• Materials Characterization Comprehensive materials analysis including TGA, DSC, particle size distribution, surface area (BET), viscosity, dilatometry, high-temperature humidity testing, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and FTIR.
• Toll Mixing Services Laboratory-scale to multi-kilogram mixing using Glen Mills Turbula shakers and Resodyn LabRAM acoustic mixers for powders, liquids, and epoxies, plus powder blending and resin development.
• Toll Spray Drying and Slurry Preparation Custom spray drying using Niro Mobile Minor (4.5 kg/hour) and large spray dryer, with slurry preparation for homogeneous mixtures and post-drying powder characterization.
• Toll Processing Comprehensive toll manufacturing and processing services including mixing, spray drying, pressing, sintering, coating, and 3D printing for ceramic and metal components, from laboratory scale to multiple kilograms.
• FLEX-SN PEEK Composite of silicon nitride and PEEK filament for 3D printing biomedical implants using fused filament fabrication; offers biocompatibility, tissue integration, and bacterial biofilm resistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Spinel armor is 50% lighter and 50% thinner than state-of-the-art ballistic glass armor with greatly increased erosion resistance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DEVCOM-ARMY Research LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2024TA&T as SINTX subsidiary entered agreement with DEVCOM-ARMY Research Laboratory to develop 3D printing and CMCs (Ceramic Matrix Composites) technologies for defense applications.
• SINTX Technologies, Inc.coreOthers · 6 July 2022SINTX Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SINT), an OEM of advanced ceramics, acquired Technology Assessment and Transfer, Inc. in July 2022. TA&T became a wholly owned subsidiary of SINTX Technologies, significantly increasing SINTX's capabilities in aerospace, defense, and biomedical markets. SINTX operates as the parent publicly-traded company while TA&T continues to serve its customers as a subsidiary.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA has funded and partnered with TA&T on multiple projects including ceramic components for the Mars Curiosity Rover SAM instrument suite and various aerospace applications through Glenn Research Center, Marshall Flight Center, and Goddard Space Flight Center.
• University PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaming partnerships with University of Illinois, Penn State, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Purdue, Rutgers, Clemson, George Washington University, and others for research collaboration.
• Aerospace and Defense ContractorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with General Electric, Lockheed, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE, and others for development and deployment of advanced ceramic components in aerospace and defense applications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• CoorsTek: One of the largest technical ceramics manufacturers globally, serving aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial markets with advanced ceramic components. Directly comparable to TA&T's advanced ceramic and CMC product lines but with vastly greater scale and broader portfolio.
• CeramTec: Leading manufacturer of technical ceramics including alumina, zirconia, and silicon nitride for medical, automotive, and industrial applications. Comparable as a major incumbent in the advanced ceramics market that TA&T also serves.
• Saint-Gobain (Advanced Ceramics): Global materials group producing advanced ceramic components for aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping ceramic matrix composites, transparent ceramics, and coatings.
• Morgan Advanced Materials: UK-listed manufacturer of advanced ceramics, carbon, and composites for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. Comparable product overlap in CMCs, transparent ceramics, and CVD coatings serving similar defense and aerospace customers.
• General Atomics (Composites): Diversified defense and energy company with significant C/C and CMC composite manufacturing for hypersonic, aerospace, and defense applications. Comparable as a defense-focused CMC supplier competing for similar propulsion and structural programs.

Direct peers

• Lithoz: Austria-based specialist in ceramic additive manufacturing using proprietary SLA-based systems for alumina, zirconia, and silica. Directly comparable to TA&T's CSL ceramic stereolithography offering, with competing solutions for industrial and medical 3D printed ceramic parts.
• 3D Ceram (now part of CeramTec): France-based ceramic 3D printing service provider specializing in SLA-based ceramic additive manufacturing for aerospace, biomedical, and industrial customers. Direct competitor in ceramic stereolithography services and materials.
• Admatec / ADMATEC Europe: Netherlands-based provider of ceramic and metal additive manufacturing systems and services using DLP technology for alumina, zirconia, and other technical ceramics. Direct competitor in ceramic AM service bureau and equipment space.
• Skyward Specialty / Surmet (transparent spinel & ALON): Manufacturer of transparent aluminum oxynitride (ALON) and transparent spinel ceramic armor and optical components for defense and aerospace. Direct competitor to TA&T's transparent spinel armor and electro-optical window product line.

Emerging players

• Starfire Industries / MesoScribe: Emerging player in advanced ceramic coatings (CVD, plasma spray) and ceramic matrix composites for hypersonic and high-temperature defense applications. Comparable niche focus on CVD coatings and CMC components for defense customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/technology-assessment-and-transfer-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Technology Assessment and Transfer