Source: ISOTRUSS INDUSTRIES LLC submitted to
VERSATILE NETWORK ACCESS THROUGH LIGHTWEIGHT, SPACE SAVING, AND DURABLE ISOTRUSS MOBILE CELL SITES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031026
Grant No.
2023-33610-40590
Cumulative Award Amt.
$650,000.00
Proposal No.
2023-03905
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2023
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2025
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[8.6]- Rural & Community Development
Recipient Organization
ISOTRUSS INDUSTRIES LLC
1364 WEST PLEASANT GROVE BLVD
PLEASANT GROVE,UT 840623254
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Versatility is an important feature for rural broadband solutions aiming to close the digital divide and better support the needs of rural communities. Mobile cell sites or cell-on-wheels (COWs) provide temporary connectivity for a host of potential scenarios including emergency situations, tourist attractions, and temporary needs such as when a network experiences an outage or is in process of being installed or updated.Building on successes supported by the USDA and industry partners, IsoTruss, Inc. proposes to design, test, and produce mobile towers using its patented IsoTruss geometry and composites expertise. Depending on customer needs, IsoTruss composite solutions can either decrease weight by 1/12 making transportation and setup easier or increase loading capacity up to 10x increasing the potential use cases for mobile applications. IsoTruss products also extend product lifetime up to 5x which significantly reduces the carbon footprint and total cost of ownership.The overall purpose of the proposed Phase II project is to develop the technology from Phase I feasibility success into a commercially viable product. IsoTruss will accomplish this goal through three main objectives: 1) Prototype and test IsoTruss tubes focusing on designs that reduce transportation cost through light-weighting and reduced space requirements. 2) Develop design procedures and tooling to produce guyed IsoTruss towers, and 3) Demonstrate and asses the developed technology with a partner-customer. Dr. David W. Jensen, inventor of the foundational IsoTruss geometry, will lead the team as Principal Investigator. This project will allow IsoTruss to transition its technology from research and development into sales and deployments.
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
70%
Developmental
30%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
40253992020100%
Knowledge Area
402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
5399 - Structures, facilities, and equipment, general/other;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of this project is to create mobile cell sites with more capacity and versatility. This project has three technical objectives:1. Prototype and test IsoTruss tubes2. Develop tooling for guyed IsoTruss towers3. Demonstrate the technology with an actual customer
Project Methods
The IsoTruss products will be evaluated through testing and demonstration. The testing in a laboratory setting will verify performance and promote iteration and product improvement. The demonstration will allow customers to see the product benefits in real life to promote sales.

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:This project is meant to benefit rural communities in the United States, particularly those with underserved network access. IsoTruss mainly works with network providers that service rural areas including cell network carriers, broadband providers, and other government agencies. ? Changes/Problems:The timeline was accelerated compared to the initial proposal because of the opportunity to install the technology with an actual customer. In order to meet the customer's deadline, the IsoTruss team dedicated more resources to creating guyed towers and accomplished the objective in 6 months instead of the proposed 12 months. All other objectives of the project are on track as proposed. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The IsoTruss team realized the importance of sharing the success of the US Space Force installation with other prospective customers. The team, therefore, requested and received detailed pictures showing the installation process and the final product. These results have so far been shared on social media channels and will continue to be useful to show customers the potential benefits of the innovative IsoTruss technology. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Prototype and test IsoTruss tubes The IsoTruss team will develop more sizes of tubes during the next reporting period to increase the product offering and capture more applications. New sizes will be designed, analyzed, manufactured, and tested at the IsoTruss facility in Springville, Utah. 2. Develop tooling for guyed IsoTruss towers This objective was completed during the current reporting period. 3. Demonstrate the technology with an actual customer This objective was completed during the current reporting period. However, with one more year left in the project the IsoTruss team hopes to be able to install a second demonstration project with an actual customer.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Prototype and test IsoTruss tubes IsoTruss has created a prototype of a new tube product aimed at smaller tower applications including mobile towers. During the current reporting period, IsoTruss designed and manufactured a prototype at its Springville, Utah facility. The IsoTruss team also validated the performance of the design with mechanical testing. 2. Develop tooling for guyed IsoTruss towers IsoTruss developed the ability to use guy wires with its tower technology, enabling more product offerings including higher heights and lighter weight towers. During the current reporting period, IsoTruss completed design and analysis tools for guyed IsoTruss towers and manufactured a guyed tower with an actual customer (see #3 below). This objective is complete - all needed tools are in place for future guyed IsoTruss towers. 3. Demonstrate the technology with an actual customer IsoTruss was able to install a guyed tower with an actual customer - the US Space Force in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The USSF required a non-metal tower because of delicate experiments at the site. IsoTruss designed and manufactured a 50-foot guyed composite tower for the USSF which was then installed by USSF personnel. This objective is complete - IsoTruss was able to demonstrate the technology in a real situation with an actual customer. ?

Publications