Bio-Chemical Protection Products
Universal Second Skins
ATC is the sole producer of the second skins that are compatible with the U.S. Army M40/M42 gas mask series. This program emerged from intelligence gathering that indicated probable exposure of our ground troops and aviators to chemicals that threatened to make the level of protection afforded by the existing protective masks suspect. The task was to design a “Second Skin” to enhance the protectiveness of the existing mask. The Second Skin fits over the mask and covers the forehead, the sides of the head, and the neck of the wearer. The special formulation must be impermeable to toxic chemical agents for several hours and not be harmful to the skin of the wearer. The design of the Second Skin had to be compatible to fit with the existing mask and various CB protective hoods and parkas. The second skin is molded from an ATC proprietary formulation that meets several physical properties, chemical agent permeation resistance, and skin toxicity requirements. ATC designed the injection mold tooling that has demonstrated effective manufacturing capability to accommodate contract order accelerations.
MCU Second Skin
ATC was also responsible for the design of new tooling for and the production of a Second Skin for aviator masks. ATC created models and the design documentation sufficient to produce the injection mold tools. This task involved developing a new product for the U.S. Air Force. Based on the work ATC did on the original Second Skins for the Army, the new product had to be compatible with the existing aviator mask and hoods. The large clear field of vision required for the aviator mask created a particularly difficult design challenge for the MCU Second Skin. With a large eye lens opening, it was a greater mechanical challenge to make the Second Skin fit and adhere to the aviator mask. Similar products could be used for the protection of first responders. ATC has met the requirements of design and compatibility and delivered 1,000,000 of these contracted skins on schedule. In addition ATC implemented a late customer design change with minimal schedule disruption.
Improved Chemical Agent Monitor (ICAM)
The Improved Chemical Agent Monitor (ICAM) is a hand-held, electronic/battery-operated, post attack device for monitoring chemical agent contamination on personnel and equipment. ATC produces the nozzle assembly, confidence sample assembly, filtered nozzle package assembly, opto-electric display and filter assembly for the Improved Chemical Agent Monitor for both production and spare parts requirements. The production of these items requires an understanding of contamination control and prevention. Laminar flow benches, specialized cleaning, baking, handling equipment and procedures are required. ATC uses ultrasonic welding techniques. 
ATC designed a special test fixture to verify the validity of all welded materials. To assemble these items, ATC has designed tooling, winding fixtures, and compression mechanisms. The production of these items for the ICAM demonstrates ATC’s abilities to manufacture tight tolerance plastic assemblies, control assembly processing to prevent very low level contamination, implement critical ultrasonic welding processes, and design special fixtures, tooling and mold tooling. ATC’s experience in manufacturing and testing confirms its ability to design, produce and deliver responsively. These items require developing subcontractors who are able to control critical dimensions of component parts. ATC staff has worked on-site side by side with its subcontractors to control critical dimensions of component parts.
