Contributing to missile production

In July of 2022, Northrop Grumman announced the construction of a new facility in West Virginia to usher in a new era in missile production. The “factory of the future” for the defense contractor is anticipated to open in 2024 and will double its production capacity to 600 missiles per year.

Lockheed Martin and other missile manufacturers are also ramping up their missile production capacity as the race escalates to provide more weaponry.

In most instances, missiles are manufactured with contributions from smaller manufacturers. There are often teams behind the scenes that make important components to the highly technical, complex, and precise end product.

Alpha Metalcraft Group (AMG), headquartered in Connecticut, is one of the manufacturers contributing significantly to missile production. And like the more widely known manufacturers, AMG integrates team and production processes to provide high-precision components for missiles.

Blending its capabilities in three sites, AMG produces missile outer skins, nose cones/domes, internal components, and heat and cold shields for some of the world’s most sophisticated weaponry.

“All of AMG’s manufacturing sites produce products used in missile systems,” says Alec Searle, AMG’s CEO. “With deep drawing and electroforming, we can produce complex and cost-effective components critical to missile manufacturing.”

Different processes

Deep drawing and electroforming are two uncommon processes used to manufacture mission-critical components for various defense industry applications. The processes are as different as the products in which they are included.

Deep drawing can be performed with an assortment of materials, including steel, stainless steel, brass, copper, nickel, aluminum, lead, and titanium. The process was developed in the mid-1800s and essentially produces a hollow shell of sheet metal.

“Deep drawing is a coldwork, metalforming process that stretches metal beyond its elastic limits but not beyond its plastic limits,” Searle says. “This means there’s no heat applied to the metal to make it more ductile as it’s stretched at ambient temperature enough for it to remain in its stretched shape but not tear or rupture beyond its plasticity.”

The process is performed via a mechanical or hydraulic operated press via a punch and die set of tools.

“There are multiple advantages,” Searle says. “Those advantages are cost efficiency, limited material waste, high production speed, elimination of non-destructive testing (NDT), high repeatability, no weld inspection, and lower labor costs.”

AMG also uses the deep drawing process to manufacture tubular components used in high-pressure ducting for commercial and military airplanes and power tube components used in high and medium power tube applications. X-ray imaging tube components are also made via deep drawing.

Metal additive manufacturing

Copper, nickel, and nickel/cobalt are used in electroforming, another process that was developed in the 19th century. Electroforming is similar to additive manufacturing (AM) in that components are made layer by layer. The process builds up metal parts atom by atom on a model, called a mandrel.

“Electroforming involves depositing material at the molecular level, so it can produce parts with a higher degree of flexibility, complexity, control, and properties critical to the component,” Searle says. “It also offers the capability to produce components on a macroscale as opposed to a microscale.”

Electroforming allows for manufacturing large components with more design complexity. Especially in designing components for aircraft, it’s critical to manage weight, tensile properties, and abrasion resistance. Electroforming allows for production of the component without significant machining time, which also reduces cost.

“Electroforming also minimizes waste. When the component is complete, it’s removed from the mandrel, which is reused to make the next component,” Searle says. “Unlike 3D printing, electroforming produces very little waste to be recycled.”

AMG manufactures cold and heat shields which protect internal circuitry, optics, and navigational equipment vital to the missile’s objective.

“Heat shields and cold shields are the most complex missile components we manufacture,” Searle says. “There are multiple layers electroformed with hard and soft nickel. They protect sensitive optics for the laser guidance section of the missile.”

Unit integration

AMG coordinates its different sites to manufacture components used in the defense industry. The sites are nearly 90 miles apart and use different equipment. Deep drawing requires mechanical and hydraulic presses as well as custom punch and die tooling, while electroforming uses aluminum or stainless-steel mandrels and an electroform tank cell.

“Coordinating is challenging,” Searle says. “However, if there’s clear understanding going into a project, these challenges can be minimized. The three sites leverage synergies in engineering, tooling, quality assurance, manufacturing resources, equipment, and tools.”

AMG establishes cohesiveness within its team by developing a project objective and establishing a schedule, actions, and meetings to keep all parties informed and the project on track.

“With the use of a variety of platforms, we’re able to communicate effectively,” Searle says. “There are occasions where onsite visits are necessary.”

Timelines and testing

The timeline for manufacturing missiles varies, depending on the scope and sophistication of the object. For AMG, design and fabrication of the mandrel used in electroforming paces the production schedule.

“Mandrels can be reused if properly designed and fabricated,” Searle says. “Our Danbury, Connecticut site has significant electroform tank capacity. Bringing on a new tank cell isn’t required. However, when a cell does need to be brought online, it can take a couple of months to do so.”

AMG’s products are subject to extensive testing before they’re sent to the missile manufacturer.

“Significant maintenance, monitoring, calibration, and testing are required during both the electroforming and deep drawing processes,” Searle says.

In electroforming, AMG pays particular attention to the chemistry, composition, and temperature of the bath that produces the part.

“The electroform tank cells must be continually monitored and maintained to satisfy the tight tolerances necessary to produce the accuracy required,” Searle says. “Additionally, coupons tested within the tank cells for the proper mechanical properties are required to satisfy our AS9100 and Nadcap certifications.”

The electroforming process is slow – about one to two-thousandths of an inch per hour. “It is also a lights-out process,” Searle says. “It can occur off-hours and doesn’t require employees to continually monitor the part. The mandrel is set in the solution and the operator can leave overnight. With electroforming, it’s easy to scale up for large production runs.”

Big business

The start of the war in Ukraine in 2022 has put more pressure on manufacturers of missiles – and their components – to move swiftly. A report in November 2023 indicated the global air and missile defense system is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.7% from 2024 to 2034.

Missile manufacturers are racing to meet the demand for more. With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending soon, along with other hot spots around the globe, manufacturers of all missile components are striving to keep up with requests.

Alpha Metalcraft Group https://alphametalcraft.com