Technology Transferred to the Kirby Company

A laser beam is used to study the Kirby G-4 fan in the Lewis Holography Test Lab. From left to right are Kirby engineer Dennis Du, consultant Greg Stewart, and Kirby Senior Vice-President of Research and Development John Lackner. Seated is the Chief of Lewis' Propulsion Systems Branch, Edward Hronek.

For more than 80 years now, the Kirby Company has been recognized as a leader in the production and development of home-cleaning systems. Today, Kirby's Research and New Product Development Group hopes to evaluate advanced technologies and new concepts that could improve the performance, cost-effectiveness, and quality of its product. Areas of interest include fan and air-flow path improvements for performance; noise reduction; motor and electronic control; light-weight, cost-effective materials; and vibration analysis and control.

Javier Resto and Edward Hronek, of NASA Lewis Research Center's Propulsion Systems Branch, evaluated the structural and vibration characteristics of the Kirby Model G-4 fan. Modes of vibration and resonance potential were evaluated in the Holography Test Lab at Lewis. As a result of the Lewis tests and rotor structural evaluation, Kirby engineers gained new insights into their existing design, enabling them to develop a more robust fan for use in their vacuum cleaners.

Find out more about our technology transfer programs