Coalescent Technologies Corporation is in a multi-year contract to assess, refurbish, and maintain the United States Marine Corps Chemical Agent Monitors (CAMS). The CAM is an advanced point-sampling, chemical warfare agent detection system that monitors the atmosphere for the presence of nerve and blister agents using Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) technology. CAMs are typically hand-held and also utilized by personnel with in the departments of Homeland Defense, the National Guard, and other military war fighters. They are relied upon to provide early detection of chemical agents that would be toxic to life.

Sophisticated detectors that employ advanced IMS technology require periodic inspection, analysis, and refurbishment of key internal components to ensure proper performance. Coalescent Technologies is an industry technical leader in providing complete analytical, engineering, chemical and electronic maintenance to advanced chemical agent monitoring equipment currently in use by our nation’s military.

The Marine Corps maintains thousands of CAMs in their world-wide inventory, to alert and defend our forces and their surrounding civilian populations of possible nerve agent and chemical attack.

Coalescent’s unique solution provides a comprehensive 2-Tier Maintenance program designed to provide the appropriate level of service for each individual CAM based upon its operational condition. The 1st Tier includes highly-trained Coalescent technical staff conducting low-cost, on-site equipment condition analysis of all CAMs in the Marine Corps inventory.

The 2nd Tier provides a fast turn-around, full depot-level repair facility for all units that fail the stringent in-field tests. Coalescent performs depot-level refurbishment in our Orlando-based IMS lab. This ISO 9001: 2000 certified laboratory operates to standards meeting or exceeding original OEM standards. Maintenance actions include:

• 100% Replacement or Refurbishment of Nozzle Protective Caps
• 100% Replacement of Sieve and Refilling /Testing Acetone Source as well as Replacing Membrane
• Replacing Defective Sub-assemblies
• Leak Checking (Validyne Electronic LeakTester)
• Adjusting Heaters and Amplifier
• Conducting Final Electrical and Confidence SampleTesting

Our laboratory equipment and processes have been carefully designed to be the most cost-effective and technically comprehensive repair facility for CAMS. Additionally:

• Coalescent personnel have over 35 years of OEM experience.
• Coalescent Repair Standards far exceed Direct Support Standards
• Units leave Coalescent with 100% of useful life in key sub assemblies.

The efficiencies and innovations which Coalescent Technologies has brought to this CAM maintenance arena have not only resulted in significant cost saving for the Marine Corps, but more importantly have increased the operational availability and reliability of this mission essential equipment. Coalescent is now working to bring the same results to other Services and agencies using IMS technology and associated devices.