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About Us
Merrifield Engineering, Inc. (MEI) was founded primarily to conduct research and development of a new system of truss structures designed to fold compactly for ease of transport and stowage. Called E-truss for extendible truss and P-truss for panel truss, development has now progressed to where the basic structures have been well-characterized, validated, and successfully tested. Numerous application designs are being developed and analyzed. Several prototypes have been successfully tested.
MEI now can offer specific design concepts to meet a customer's requirements. We base this on an extensive development of truss configurations, features and construction types. We have a large database of 3D CAD models and assemblies, can quickly generate preliminary drawings and concept models for customer review, and provide rapid prototype models. We can also perform preliminary sizing for strength and stiffness (ready for independent certification following product design), and product installation recommendations.
Our Principal Engineer is Don Merrifield, company owner and holder of the basic patent rights, who has an extensive background in research and development of structures and mechanisms for special equipment, robotics, space systems, and automotive systems.
MEI has worked closely with United Space Alliance, LLC (USA) who licensed our truss technology and co-developed it for space-related applications. Under this joint development IR&D project, the E-truss technology matured, and numerous test hardware items were designed, analyzed, and tested. A notable product of this co-development effort was a new versatile work platform designed, built, and transferred to NASA for critical access to the Space Shuttle vehicles at Kennedy Space Center. Following completion of this joint development effort, MEI continued its own independent development activity, subsequently developing a family of deployable truss structures as described in this website.
Current emphasis is on design and manufacturing of unique folding structures for a new generation of portable solar PV power units (gensets) for several mobile applications benefitting from very compact packaging for efficient transport and stowage. These include disaster relief, electric vehicle charging, remote construction projects, military field power, humanitarian systems and large government field installations.
© 2014 Merrifield Engineering, Inc.