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Home / Archives / News Archive 2002 / AeroTech statement on J350W reliability and warranty issues
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AeroTech statement on J350W reliability and warranty issues |
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2002 Archived News by AeroTech
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Wednesday, July 10, 2002 |
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada USA -- AeroTech wishes to inform its customers that it has identified an issue with 38mm White Lightning propellant grains manufactured between 5/1/02 and 6/5/02.
These are grains that were manufactured with the assistance of Ellis Mountain Motor Works in Texas, and were shipped in boxes identifying them for use with H123W, I161W, I211W, I284W and J350W reload parts kits. The problem appears to only involve the above mentioned grains when used in conjunction with a J350W reload parts kit.
An unusually high percentage of J350W motors loaded with the suspect grains have been reported to fail catastrophically at ignition. The direct cause of this anomaly appears to be "critical modulus failure", in which the aft (nozzle end) grain is deformed during operation and constricts the core opening to the point where the pressure inside the motor casing exceeds design limits.
AeroTech is still researching the cause of the problem, and believes that it may be related to increased moisture at the point of manufacture interfering with the propellant binder cure reaction. Some customers have related that the suspect grains have a "spongy" or "soft" consistency, which would normally be evidence of cure interference. Soft propellant is more vulnerable to critical modulus failure in long motor designs like the J350W.
Adjustments have been made to the White Lightning propellant formulation to increase its hardness, and grains using this propellant are being delivered to AeroTech's dealers at LDRS-21. Several J350W motors have been tested using the harder propellant with no failures. Boxes containing the harder propellant grains can be identified with the "J350W" marking on the box label highlighted in yellow. Labels on boxes containing the softer propellant have the "J350W" designation blacked out and MUST NOT be used with J350W reload parts kits. Please see your AeroTech dealer for replacement or exchange of the suspect propellant grains. NOTE: The grains in the highlighted 38mm grain boxes may also be used with the other 38mm White Lightning reload parts kits.
AeroTech apologizes to its customers for any problems this issue has caused them. The J350W has historically been one of AeroTech's most popular and reliable high power motors. It is AeroTech's policy to continue to innovate and improve existing products including reducing rates of failure. AeroTech's customers can be assured that AeroTech will fulfill its warranty obligations related to failures of the J350W or any other AeroTech product. AeroTech has placed a special order for 38/720 motor hardware in anticipation of receiving J350W warranty claims. |
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