Method of producing missile nose cones

• US 8,256,086 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Manning, Margaret Rose, Leitch, Paul A., Liggett, Paul E., Shutler, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cozart, Jermie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salone, Bayan
• Application Number:
  US12/491,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20100326182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 294/071, 298/900.1, 294/070.9, 294/070.5, 102/374, 102/379, 102/293, 102/387, 702/43, 702/42, 702/35, 702/81, 702/182, 702/185, 73/37, 731/67, 738/02, 738/38, 86/51, 86/11
• US Class Current: 29/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/46 Streamlined nose cones; Windshields; Radomes F42B12/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/22 Missiles having a trajectory finishing below water surface having additional propulsion means for movement through water F42B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 19/005 Nose caps for torpedoes; Coupling torpedo-case parts together
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 19/46 adapted to be launched from aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0274 Tubular or ring-shaped specimens
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/12 Pressure testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49346 Rocket or jet device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4978 Assisting assembly or disassembly

Abstract

A method for producing a missile nose cone is disclosed. The method consists of manufacturing a first missile nose cone from a first lot of polymeric material and determining a first rupture value. The method further consists of manufacturing a second missile nose cone from a second lot of polymeric material and determining a second rupture value of the second missile nose cone. Both first and second lots of material are mixed into a test batch with one another based on their associated rupture values. An evaluation missile nose cone is then manufactured from the test batch and a determination is made as to whether the evaluation missile nose cone has a desired rupture value. If a desired rupture value is not obtained, then the mixing and evaluation steps are repeated.

Claims

1. A method for producing a missile nose cone, comprising:

manufacturing a first missile nose cone from a first lot of polymeric material and determining a first rupture value of said first missile nose cone;

manufacturing a second missile nose cone from a second lot of polymeric material and determining a second rupture value of said second missile nose cone;

mixing into a test batch said first and second lots of material with one another based upon said rupture values;

manufacturing an evaluation missile nose cone from said test batch; and

determining whether said evaluation missile nose cone has a desired rupture value.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

cutting a hoop section from each said first and second missile nose cones and determining said rupture values from said hoop sections.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

positioning said hoop sections into a test fixture which comprises a bladder received within said hoop section, wherein said bladder is expanded until said hoop section ruptures.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

designating said lot of polymeric material with a higher comparative rupture value as a dominant resin; and

designating said lot of polymeric material with a lower comparative rupture value as a dilutent resin.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

selecting percentage amounts of said dominant and dilutent resins for mixing into said test batch based upon rupture values of each said lot.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

cutting a hoop section from said evaluation missile nose cone manufactured from said test batch.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

repeating selecting and determining steps until a desired ratio of dominant and dilutent resin obtains said desired rupture value.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

fully mixing said first and second lots in said desired ratio; and

manufacturing missile nose cones with said fully mixed lot.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

designating said desired rupture value as being between two values.