Quality Assessment of High Strength Metallic Rocket Motor Casings - A Non Destructive Testing Approach

  W. Gowrishankar,  V. Malolan,  Dr. Tessy Thomas

Advanced Launch vehicles and missile systems use solid rocket motor casings as their primary propulsive systems. The design, manufacturing and testing of these systems are performed in accordance to the most stringent standards. In order to gain high specific strength, ultra-high strength materials like Maraging steel are used. The quality assurance methodology for such material is arrived keeping in mind the material's fracture behaviour. Such systems are required to perform in the presence of miniscule flaws and when subjected to internal/external loads since complete elimination of defects/flaws in uneconomical. The quality control strategy is principally aimed at avoiding/eliminating defects that may lead to catastrophic failure during service. Non Destructive Testing (NDT) has been the empowering tool for defect detection and disposition in all aerospace applications. Stage by stage implementation of NDT is required to ensure quality and integrity of the hardware. Perfection in manufacturing is the obvious goal, but since this cannot be absolutely achieved, NDT must exercise the highest degree of reliability that can be obtained from techniques, equipment and personnel. This paper highlights the prominent NDT techniques viz. Radiographic inspection, Ultrasonic inspection and Acoustic Emission inspection used to assess the quality of rocket motor casings. The abilities of the testing, the relevant standards and stage of usage are discussed.

Keywords- Quality Assurance, NDT, Rocket Motor casing

Unique Identification Number - IJEDR1504189
Page Number(s) - 1094-1098
Pubished in - Volume 3 | Issue 4 | December 2015
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) -   
Publisher - IJEDR (ISSN - 2321-9939)

  W. Gowrishankar,  V. Malolan,  Dr. Tessy Thomas,   "Quality Assessment of High Strength Metallic Rocket Motor Casings - A Non Destructive Testing Approach", International Journal of Engineering Development and Research (IJEDR), ISSN:2321-9939, Volume.3, Issue 4, pp.1094-1098, December 2015, Available at :http://www.ijedr.org/papers/IJEDR1504189.pdf