DISPENSER STRUCTURE

THIS PROJECT IS TO EXAMINE THE STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS OF A MUNITIONS DISPENSER, AND IDENTIFY COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO DESIGNS THAT WOULD REDUCE PARASITIC STRUCTURAL WEIGHT BY 30%. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF FIBERS, RESINS, AND MANUFACTURING PROCESSES THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT REDUCTION. AS THE PROPERTIES AND COSTS OF COMPLETED COMPONENTS VARYWITH MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, IT IS NECESSARY TO EXAMINE THE QUANTITY REQUIRED,AND MANUFACTURING CONCEPTS, AS WELL AS THE AVAILABLE MATERIALS. COMMONLY USED MATERIAL SYSTEMS SUCH AS THERMOSET EPOXY RESINS AND CARBON OR KEVLAR FIBERS WILL BE ANALYZED FOR THEIR APPLICABILITY. ONE AREA OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IS IN HIGH PERFORMANCE THERMOPLASTICS SUCH AS POLYETHERETHERKETONE (PEEK). PEEK, AS WELL AS OTHER NEW THERMO PLASTICS, WILL BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THEIR APPLICABILITY. AVAILABLEMATERIAL SYSTEMS SUCH AS THERMOSET EPOXY RESINS AND CARBON OR KEVLAR FIBERS WILL BE ANALYZED FOR THEIR FEASIBILITY.