This document outlines the operational procedures required to prepare for and execute a test or launch event. It provides a comprehensive timeline of activities spanning from three days prior to the event through to one day after. The objective is to ensure all members are aligned, resources are properly coordinated, and critical steps are followed to support a smooth and successful execution.
The purpose of this specific document is to guide you through the assembly of the separation mechanism of the Firehorn I LV. It concerns numerous parts, which will be listed below.
For easier part preparation, the list below is made to assemble 2 complete Pyrocutters and 2 complete Clamp Bands.
For additionnal information on Pyrocutter and CB part naming, refer to the Pyrocutter DDF and SepMech DDF.
To facilitate Side B M3x30 screw fastening, one can use an extra M3 screw on the other side of the Screw Nut and help align the latter with the Guide nut and Pyrocutter (using a 2.5 Allen key or screwdriver).
Pyrocutter powder chamber and bodies are individually combined due to production inaccuracies. Make sure each body is fitted to its respected powder chamber (same number marked on each part).
- It is strongly recommended that the entire AVB is fully assembled, including AIS, before beginning the SepMech assembly procedure.
- Both pyrocutters should be completely assembled before beginning the SepMech assembly procedure.
| Equipment | Qty | Packed in | Sign-off | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screw driver with 2.5 hex bit | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Screw driver with 2 hex bit | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Screw driver with 1.5 hex bit | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Size 2.5 Allen key | 2 | / | ......... | |
| Size 2 Allen key | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Adjustable wrench | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Torque Wrench | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Socket 2.5 for torque wrench | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Marker pen | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Ruler (> 0.8 [m]) | 1 | / | ......... | |
| Sharp scissors or cutter | 1 | / | ......... |
| Part | Qty | Packed in | Sign-off | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female 'SepMech' coupler | 1 | Equipement Structure | ......... | |
| Female 'Shockpler' coupler | 1 | Equipement Structure | ......... | |
| Powder Chamber | 4 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| Body | 4 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| Tungsten Projectile | 4 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| 0.8 mm thick Band | 2 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| Clamp | 10 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| 'Guide' nut | 3 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| 'Screw' nut | 3 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| M2.5x6 conical head screws | 32 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| M3x6 internal hex screws | 8 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| M3 thin washers | 16 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| M3 1.6mm washers | 16 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| M3 nuts | 8 | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| M3x30 internal hex screws | 4 | Mallette SepMech | ......... |
| Equipment | Packed in | Sign-off | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3M Aluminum Tape | Mallette Structure | ......... | |
| Black Powder | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| Electrical igniter | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| 5-minute epoxy (Araldite) | Mallette SepMech | ......... | |
| Tungsten bars | Mallette SepMech | ......... |
| Role | Responsible for: | Name |
|---|---|---|
| TL/SE | Supervision | Florent Piton |
| TL | Supervision | Zina Randriamantena |
| TM | Assembly | Emma Gerart |
| TM | Assembly | Jules Lamaison |
\setcounter{rownumbers}
| Step | Task | Time | Sign-off | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| --------------------- Clamp Band assembly --------------------- | ||||
| \rownumber | Place a 0.8 [mm] band onto a table | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Fold the band on each side so that the circular holes respectively align, to form folds towards the inside | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a Screw nut in the right fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a M3 washer on each side of the right circular hole pair | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Insert a M3x5 screw from the outside into the hole pair, then place M3 nut on the inside | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the assembly using 2.5 Allen key or screwdriver and adjustable wrench, until Screw nut is locked in the fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a Guide nut in the left fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a M3 washer on each side of the left circular hole pair | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Insert a M3x5 screw from the outside into the hole pair, then place M3 nut on the inside | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the assembly using 2.5 hex Allen key or screwdriver and adjustable wrench, until Screw nut is locked in the fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Align 4 clamps with their holes, on the inside of the band | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the clamps in with 2 M2.5x6 conical screws each, using a 1.5-sized Allen key or hex screwdriver. Don't overtighten the screws | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : Clamp Band 1 assembly check | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| \rownumber | Place a 0.8 [mm] band onto a table | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Fold the band on each side so that the circular holes respectively align, to form folds towards the inside | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a Screw nut in the right fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a 1.6 [mm] M3 washer inside the right circular hole pair | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a M3 washer on each side of the right circular hole pair | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Insert a M3x5 screw from the outside into the hole pair, then place M3 nut on the inside | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the assembly using a 2-sized Allen key or screwdriver and adjustable wrench, until Screw nut is locked in the fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a Guide nut in the left fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a 1.6 [mm] M3 washer inside the left circular hole pair | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a M3 washer on each side of the left circular hole pair | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Insert a M3x5 screw from the outside into the left hole pair, then place M3 nut on the inside | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the assembly using a 2-sized hex Allen key or screwdriver and adjustable wrench, until Screw nut is locked in the fold | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Align 4 clamps with their holes, on the inside of the band | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the clamps in with 2 M2.5x6 conical screws each, using a 1.5-sized Allen key or screwdriver. Don't overtighten the screws | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : Clamp Band 2 assembly check | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| --------------------- Aluminum tape cutting --------------------- | ||||
| \rownumber | Measure and cut 780 [mm] long strips of 3M Aluminum tape, using the ruler and scissors/cutter. Do this 3 times | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Mark all strips in the middle (390 [mm]) with a marker | x min | ......... | |
| --------------------- SepMech assembly --------------------- | ||||
| \rownumber | Place Shockpler coupler (and attached AVB) upright on a table | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Clean the Shockpler coupler Ring surface with alcohol | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Clean the Sepmech coupler Ring surface with alcohol | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Below the Shockpler pyrocutter holes, define respectively sides A and B with a marker | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Insert a pyrocutter body inside both holes in Shockpler, making sure the M3 clearance holes on the pyrocutters align with the Lower Ring | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place Sepmech coupler on top of Shockpler. Make sure Upper and Lower ring interfaces align correctly, using the small machined portions on the ring circumference | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Align both clamp bands along the Ring interface, making sure that 1 Screw nut and 1 Guide nut are on either side of each Pyrocutter | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | On side A, insert an M3x30 screw through that side's Guide nut and pyrocutter body, and screw it into that side's Screw Nut just enough so that it is fastened (using a 2.5 size Allen key or screwdriver) | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | On side B, insert an M3x30 screw through that side's Guide nut and pyrocutter body, and screw it into that side's Screw Nut just enough so that it is fastened (using a 2.5 size Allen key or screwdriver) | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Visually and physically check for correct interfacting between all clamps and Ring circumference | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Lightly screw in both M3x30 in the Screw nuts, making sure both sides are symmetrical, using a 2.5 size Allen key or screwdriver | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : Pre-torquing SepMech assembly check | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| \rownumber | Set the torque wrench to 1 [Nm] and equip it with a 2.5 hex bit | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw both M3x30 screws up to 1 [Nm] using the torque wrench | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Set the torque wrench to 1.75 [Nm] | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw both M3x30 screws up to 1.75 [Nm] using the torque wrench | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : Post-torquing SepMech assembly check | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| --------------------- End of Switzerland SepMech operations procedure --------------------- |
\setcounter{rownumbers}
| Step | Task | Time | Sign-off | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| --------------- Pyrocutter assembly --------------- | ||||
| \rownumber | Place a numbered powder chamber upright onto a table. Do not put it in a clamping mechanism or it will be deformed | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Insert an electrical igniter inside it and pull it until only the head is in the chamber | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place 0.6 [g] of black powder inside the chamber, ie until it is filled | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a tungsten projectile on top of the chamber, facing upwards, with 5-min epoxy (Araldite). Perfect upwards alignment of the projectile is required | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Smother the electrical igniter hole below the chamber with 5-min epoxy (Araldite) | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : Pyrocutter 1 lower part check (projectile orientation, epoxy on igniter, no epoxy on threading) | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| \rownumber | Place a numbered powder chamber upright onto a table. Do not put it in a clamping mechanism or it will be deformed | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Insert an electrical igniter inside it and pull it until only the head is in the chamber | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place 0.6 [g] of black powder inside the chamber, ie until it is filled | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Place a tungsten projectile on top of the chamber, facing upwards, with 5-min epoxy (Araldite). Perfect upwards alignment of the projectile is required | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Smother the electrical igniter hole below the chamber with 5-min epoxy (Araldite) | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : Pyrocutter 2 lower part check (projectile orientation, epoxy on igniter, no epoxy on threading) | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| \rownumber | Wait for a minimum of 4 hours for the epoxy to harden | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the corresponding numbered powder chamber onto the first body | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | Screw the corresponding numbered powder chamber onto the second body | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : Pyrocutter assemblies check | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| --------------- End of SepMech J-1 operations procedure --------------- |
\setcounter{rownumbers}
| Step | Task | Time | Sign-off | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| \rownumber | Using a torque wrench, verify both M3x30 screws are still torqued up to 1.75 [Nm] | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : SepMech assembly flight-ready | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| \rownumber | Wrap a 780 [mm] long 3M Aluminum tape strip around the SepMech circumference, making sure the junction lines up perfectly between sides A and B (and cutting the excess tape with a cutter) | x min | ......... | |
| \rownumber | \color{red}SE CHECK : SepMech assembly sealed off and flight-ready | \color{red}......... | \color{red} | |
| --------------- End of SepMech Pre-flight operations procedure ---------------- |