COMPOSITE CERAMIC RADOME MANUFACTURE BY MOSAIC TECHNIQUES
Abstract
Comprehensive research and development program directed toward the fabrication of large ceramic radomes for operation at 1000 F or above, by ceramic adhesive bonding together of performed ceramic tile segments, is described. On the basis of state-of-the-art review plus extensive materials selection studies, 99.0% high-density alumina was selected as the radome body material and a magnesium alumino-silicate glass forming composition with a fusion temperature of about 2150 F was selected as the ceramic adhesive. Engineering design, structural investigations, and manufacturing considerations led to the choice of a double layer of staggered, overlapping, trapezoidal tiles for the radome wall construction. The 0.0221 in. thick mosaic tile wall was capped with a monolithic alumina nose cap to form the ogive radome of about 31- in. diameter at the base and of 8-ft height. Fabrication techniques involving use of differential thermal expansion firing tool concept are described, with details on fused-silica tooling, fabrication, and use. The mosaic full-size radome and radome sections were fabricated and subjected to thermal and structural testing. Test results are correlated with previous detailed thermal and structural analyses. Results show that fabrication of large, high-strength ceramic structures by adhesive bonding mosaic techniques is feasible and provides a means of circumventing some of the serious limitations of conventional ceramic fabrication procedures for large structures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0478715
Entities
People
- Francis A. Barr
- Rodney A. Jones