Aerodynamic Dome Manufacturing Cost Reduction

Future missile systems will abandon the traditional hemi-spherical shape for shapes resembling a tangent Ogive. An ogive shaped dome has better aerodynamic capabilities than its spherical counterpart. This enables the missile to fly faster, farther, and with more accuracy while also increasing its payload capacity. The optical material of choice is polycrystalline alumina, PCA, which is a hard ceramic material that OptiPro has extensive experience with. OptiPro has a unique opportunity to create the manufacturing solution by combining its UltraSurf, a newly developed non-contact measurement solution for the Navy"s ogive SBIR metrology program, its extensive knowledge of CAD/CAM, and freeform capable computer numerically controlled precision optical grinding and polishing products. OptiPro"s technologically advanced optical manufacturing capabilities along with a support partnership with the Penn State University Electro Optics Center, gives us a very strong team and, clear path towards solving the difficult problems associated with, grinding, finishing, and measuring of PCA ogive domes.