Flexure based mounts for sensitive payloads : a management and engineering study

Abstract

With the cooperation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an investigative and design study was performed to examine the history of the W80- 0 Area Aft Mount, understand its performance, and explore potential new designs. Simultaneously, professional and technical enhancement of the author was achieved. The historical organization of LANL influences the design space for this project, and understanding those relationships provides insight into concept generation and selection. In addition, the current organizational structure within the laboratory as well as with its customers provides additional constraints that must be managed technically. The new design concepts attempt to simulate the nonlinear load vs. displacement characteristics of the previously employed B3223 cellular silicone Pad Mount. New concepts separate the spring and damping characteristics of the cellular silicone into separate component parts. This uncoupled method should allow the new designs increased variability and control with respect to matching original Aft Area Mount performance in shock mitigation and deflection limiting.