Rockets launch more than 1,600 objects into space annually, including satellites and crewed and uncrewed spacecraft. Rocket manufacturers are expanding production for two reasons: to support a sharp increase in communication satellite launches driven by growing demand for high-speed internet connectivity, and to strengthen supply chains for ongoing national security programs.
The massive scale of rockets, and the equipment needed to produce them, makes manufacturing extremely complex. Automated factory systems are tasked with casting and assembling rockets that can weigh up to 2.34 million lbs. (1,063 metric tons) and measure 190 ft. (58 meters) upon completion.
One leading global aerospace and defense company recently collaborated with a major global engineering firm to create a new, advanced manufacturing facility as part of an existing campus expansion. Multiple buildings house different parts of rocket construction and assembly. The operation requires a broad range of overhead bridge cranes, jib cranes and monorail systems to move raw materials and components through
the process.
Many of the cranes require sophisticated automation to ensure a high degree of manufacturing precision, process efficiency and employee safety. Throughout the process, cranes encounter challenges ranging from an explosive atmosphere to heavy loads to extreme torque.
During the preliminary design phase, the global engineering firm engaged Wazee Crane™, part of Timken Power Systems™, to consult on crane requirements for the new facility. Wazee Crane™ was selected due to its advanced in-house engineering capabilities.
“Our team has extensive experience working in the aerospace and defense industry, and deep engineering and manufacturing expertise in cranes and hoists of virtually any complexity,” said Nathan Rubey, Wazee Crane’s™ engineering and customer service manager. “In this case, the customer needed massive cranes with automation that would serve as the foundation around which the rest of the facility would be built.”
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Wazee Crane™ engineered 11 custom crane solutions following a site visit to the rocket manufacturer and intensive collaboration with the design firm over an extended period. The solutions support every phase of rocket motor construction including casting, nose cone production, finishing and shipping.
At the heart of the facility are two highly automated Wazee™ overhead bridge cranes measuring 85 feet and capable of lifting workpieces weighing 110 tons. They are some of the largest and most highly automated Wazee™ cranes ever built. The cranes move rockets from a horizontal to vertical position before lowering them into a 100-foot-deep pit in the floor as part of the casting process.
Workers operate the automated cranes from the safety of a glass-enclosed booth using a complex programmable logic controller (PLC). Wazee Crane™ engineers collaborated with a trusted electronics partner to develop PLC code that integrates with adjacent automated equipment.
“Those cranes are just one part of a complicated process. Everything has to work together seamlessly,” Rubey said.
On the opposite end of the size spectrum, another automated overhead bridge crane with a 10-ton capacity helps pop nose cones free from a manufacturing process. This requires a simultaneous pulling and popping motion that involves gradually applying controlled torque until the system reads an exact measure of force. The bridge crane also uses PLC technology that workers use to manage the motion from the control booth.
“It requires a lot of precision to avoid damaging parts or causing an error in what’s a highly explosive environment,” Rubey adds.
In total, Wazee Crane™ designed six bridge cranes, three jib cranes, and two monorails. Three of the cranes feature advanced managed switches to optimize the facility’s cyber security.
“The switches lock everything down from a coding perspective,” Rubey said. “This makes the entire facility less susceptible to hacking threats.”
Wazee Crane’s™ engineering and manufacturing capabilities helped the engineering firm develop and build a new rocket motor construction facility in three years. Pleased with the results, the rocket motor manufacturer and engineering firm continue to work with Wazee Crane™ on additional opportunities around the country.
“We look forward to serving them and additional aerospace and defense customers as they ramp up production,” Rubey said. “Our technical abilities will help them install new or modernize existing facilities for greater automation, efficiency and safety.”
