Sensor-based control of rocket thrust chamber feature location for automated braze paste dispensing

摘要

A sensor-based control system has been developed for locating key features on rocket thrust chamber assemblies for automated braze paste dispensing. The system uses a non-contact Multi-Axis Seam Tracking (MAST) sensor to locate these features. The MAST sensor measures capacitance variations between the sensor and thrust chamber surface to produce four varying voltages for control purposes. The sensor information is used to locate the thrust chamber surface and to guide the robotic paste dispensing equipment along the seams in real-time. Experiments demonstrate that seams can be tracked at 50 mm/sec within the accuracy required for braze paste dispensing.