ROBOTICS FOR SOLID PROPELLANT MIXING LABORATORIES

THE PROGRAM WILL INVESTIGATE THE STATE-OF-THE-ART IN PROPELLANT MIXING, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THOSE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES WHICH REDUCE PERSONNEL EXPOSURE, IMPROVE QUALITY AND REDUCE LABOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROCESSING OPERATIONS. INVESTIGATED APPROACHES WILL INCLUDE THE USE OF ROBOTICS AND ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL/MONITORING INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS TO FACILITATE INGREDIENT WEIGHING AND PREBATCHING, INGREDIENT ADDITION, ON-LINE MONITORING OF RELEVANT MIX PARAMETERS, PROPELLANT CASTING AND CLEAN-UP. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED ON TECHNIQUES USED BY THE CHEMICAL, RUBBER, PLASTICS, DRUG AND FOOD MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES, BOTH DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN.