WALDEN, N.Y. (July 7, 2004) – Dr. Detail, a mobile on-location car detailing service, recently received technical assistance from the NASA-funded Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP).

Due to temperature extremes in New York, the cleaning liquids used by Dr. Detail workers froze in the winter and left streaks in the summer. As a small businessman with no budget for research and development, company owner Sergiu Liveanu was frustrated with trying to find a solution. “I run my business year-round and have 300 clients. To have these difficulties with the detailing liquids was not only an inconvenience, it cost me money in lost revenue,” said Liveanu.

During the winter, the liquids Liveanu uses in detailing would freeze, either in the container or upon contact with cold vehicles. During the summer, the materials would evaporate too quickly on hot cars, leaving unsightly streaks.

He tried heating the liquids or keeping them indoors until the last minute during the winter to prevent freezing, but those efforts were not successful. “I came to the conclusion that I was going to have to live with the problem since I have no real chemistry experience and no way to access a chemist who could advise me,” Liveanu said.

Fortunately, Liveanu learned about the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) from the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. SATOP is a NASA-funded outreach program that provides free technical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Liveanu submitted a Request for Technical Assistance (RTA) to SATOP and hoped for the best.

“Sergiu’s RTA asked for help finding commercially available, environmentally safe products that could be added to his liquids to resolve his challenges,” said Ryan McLaughlin, SATOP New York Engineering Manager. McLaughlin paired the Dr. Detail RTA with Dr. Fran Cirillo, a Project Manager at the Melbourne, Fla. office of San Diego-based Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a Gold level SATOP Alliance Partner.

Cirillo reviewed the RTA and recommended a few alternatives/additives to keep the liquids from freezing and from evaporating too quickly. Cirillo submitted a 17-page report detailing his recommendations, including suggested ratios of additives and the contact information for suppliers and distributors of the products. Liveanu used the recommendations to determine the actual ratio of additive to cleaning solution.

The solutions provided by Cirillo and SAIC have greatly improved Dr. Detail’s operations, allowing the company to successfully conduct detailing services throughout the cold of winter and the heat of summer. “This has made a huge difference to my company,” Liveanu said. “We can now handle more business in the winter, and in the summer produce a better result for customers. Everyone is pleased.”

Liveanu hopes to use SATOP again in the future and says he would not hesitate to recommend it to other small business owners. “It’s great to know that there’s entity out there that will help a small business without it costing thousands of dollars and a lot of time,” he said.