FORCE Technology stands before an international breakthrough in the space industry with a new welding technique for construction of rocket nozzles.
FORCE Technology can do something no-one else can
FORCE Technology’s ground breaking technology for manufacturing larger, lighter and cheaper rocket nozzles for launch vehicles for the space industry has a proven track record. Specifically, the new technology can achieve 2160 welded seams of 3000 metres - absolutely flawlessly, in a short time and with a high degree of precision. The technology is based on highly flexible, fully automatic production processes - something that no-one else can offer at present. That is why we can confidently say that FORCE Technology can do something no-one else can.
Outcompetes existing rocket nozzles
The results are so impressive that FORCE Technology and Volvo Aero Corporation - who are working closely on the project - can now present the prototype with the new technology to the space industry the world over. The project will culminate in a spectacular test-run at the European test centre in Spring 2008. With that, FORCE Technology will become one of the leading players in the field of international space technology in the future. For FORCE Technology and Volvo Aero Corporation the goal is clear – the rocket nozzle based on the new technology shall outcompete all others on the market at present. And it’s a goal which throws down a challenge to both American and Russian rocket engine producers.
Raises the standard for rocket nozzle production radically
The fact that the technology is based on flexible and fully automatic production processes is a huge advantage. Today, the USA, Russia and Europe all have their own design philosophies. However, all of their nozzles have one common denominator, namely, production is inflexible, a lengthy process and requires a plethora of manual work processes. All of that adds up to a significant disadvantage when compared with the new, flexible and fully automatic production process that makes it possible to reduce the number of work operations, production time and costs and to produce the nozzles in different sizes without the need to invest in new production equipment.
Danish-Swedish cooperation at its best
Volvo Aero Corporation and FORCE Technology are working very closely on the ground breaking rocket nozzle. The companies have jointly applied to patent the technology, whereby Volvo have won the right to manufacture aeroplane and rocket engines, while FORCE Technology have the right to market the technology to customers outside the aviation and space industries.
Fantastic advert for Danish engineering
The technology is a fantastic example of Danish engineering at its best, and it is an excellent illustration of the fact that Danish companies can compete with the best in the world. In addition to being a collaboration between Volvo Aero Corporation and FORCE Technology, there has also been cooperation with the French space agency CNES and the European space organisation ESA, who have provided technical and financial support for the project.
Facts about the welding technology
The new engine design for launch vehicles is based on a thin-walled ‘sandwich’ construction in special steel that will harness the approximately 6 million h.p. that is generated by the burning gases with a flame temperature of 3500oC.
To prevent overheating the rocket nozzle is cooled via the construction's many channels – with liquid hydrogen. Thus, during launching, the temperature of the nozzle’s exterior is minus 170C, while the interior is plus 600C, which in itself represents an extreme strain on the thin construction.
In terms of manufacturing, it is a huge challenge to weld together the components in the sandwich construction flawlessly - which is absolutely essential. The parts are welded from the outside in such a way that the internal ”invisible” components can be joined to the outer shell. In layman's terms, 3 km of ultra-narrow welded seams are placed to within a tenth's accuracy for pure instrument flying without the joined parts being visible. This is equivalent to welding with 100% precision while blindfolded.
