MANUFACTURE OF URANIUM 8.5% MOLYBDENUM BALLS

摘要

In an effort to meet increasing demands by the army for components fabricated from dense materials (such as an 0.20 in. diameter ball weigfing 20 + or - 1 gr), a study was made to find suitable material and methods of processing. Of the two materials (uranium- and tungstenbased alloys) having the necessary density, an uranium-8.5% molybdenum alloy was chosen because of its cnmbination of strength and ductility. The problem of fabricating a smooth wire, free from kinks, and ssrface imperfections, was undertaken at Franjford Arsenal, and the various phases of the process - casting, heat treating, forging rolling, annealing, swaging, and testing - are described. A feasibility study to determine techniques for manufacturing production quantities of uranium balls was undertaken by the contractor, using the cold heading technique and then grinding the rough balls to size, using standard production equipment. The methods of pressing the material, rill filing, and tumbling are described in the Appendix. (Author)