Warhead Manufacturing Demonstration with the Vacuum Casting System and Twin Screw Extruder

The Navy is interested in novel manufacturing processes that will reduce associated manufacturing costs, increase product quality, and increase safety of manufacturing operations.  The Mk 146 manufacturing demonstration is an Energetic Manufacturing Technology Center (EMTC) funded effort and will help the Navy with all three of these goals.  This project utilizes Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) Twin Screw Extruder/Mixer (TSE) Processing Technology along with a newly developed piece of equipment, the Vacuum Casting System (VCS), to both mix and cast continuously and remotely.

The process involves setting up the VCS in front of the extruder and coupling it using standard sanitary fittings and existing plant equipment.  Once at steady state material is diverted to the VCS where it is moved to a filling mechanism that can pull vacuum while loading a warhead.  This process increases safety by removing operations personnel while the equipment is running.  It improves quality by casting freshly produced material, one of the benefits of using a TSE to make explosives.  This eliminates pot life issues and allows for the possibility of producing a fast cure explosive.  A combined TSE/VCS process will reduce the amount of labor and materials required compared to the conventional batch processing, lowering manufacturing costs.