Original Date: 02/28/2000
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

With the receipt of a contract in 1992 to manufacture 45,000 Simulator/Marker 875 practice decoy flares, Crane Army Ammunition Activity instituted a programmable weight measure system for the specific application of pyro- luminous material for this project.

Weighing processes for the production of aircraft-deployed signal flares at Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) had always been accomplished by weighing the materials by manual or volumetric scoops. Often the strict tolerances required by the specification could not be met using these methods.

With the receipt of a contract in 1992 to manufacture 45,000 Simulator/Marker 875 practice decoy flares for the U.S. Air Force, CAAA instituted a programmable weight measure system for the specific application of pyro-luminous material for this project. This measurement system allows precise increments of each compound to be ejected into a rotary press by automatically using a pivotal scoop. Each of the manual weighing procedures for the three compounds was delegated to individual personnel to assure accurate increments of the total mixture. With the programmable system’s accuracy and automated dumping scoop, the need for two persons was eliminated and production increased by 50%. Since the unit is compact, portable, and explosive-proof, it is an added advantage to incorporate this equipment in future contracts.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.