Garry has over seven years of experience in most areas of structural, component, and materials testing using servo-controlled hydraulic test equipment and digital instrumentaion. He has been a principal investigator for component and structural testing for government agencies, aerospace, and automotive industries. He has conducted programs in material charaterization, high strain rate testing, fatigue and crack growth studies for both metallic and composite materials under various loading and environmental conditions.
Garry currently manages a number of small research and test programs for industiral sponsors to evaluate the durability of materials, manufactured products, and prototypes. He also is involved in the testing of high strength, corrosion resistant, aluminum alloys that are being evaluated as substitute materials for replacement parts on aging Air Force aircraft.
From July 1988 until November 1995, Mr. Abfalter was the Group Leader and managed the research activities of the Impact Physics Laboratory. Garry was responsible for developing and conducting basic applied research in the technical areas of armor design, terminal ballistics, shock wave propagation, dynamic characterization of materials, penetration mechanics, penetrator evaluation, foreign object damage, and advanced instrumentation techniques.
Prior to joining UDRI, Mr. Abfalter completed 20 years of service in the U.S. Air Force where he managed the acquisition and testing and evaluation of aerospace systems, facilities, and support equipment as a long-range planner, test operations director, mechanical and flight test engineer. He is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College Program Management Course.
Education:
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Oklahoma State University
B.M.E., Mechanical Engineering, University of Detroit
Professional Affiliations:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers