AIRFRAME COMPONENTS OF MISSILE

The airframe of an missile is its mechanical structure. It is typically considered to include payload system,
Guidance system, and exclude the propulsion system. Airframe design is a field of aerospace
engineering that combines aerodynamics, materials technology and manufacturing methods to achieve
balances of performance, reliability and cost.

MATERIALS USED IN MISSILE:

Fiber glass

Aluminium alloy

Stainless steel

Fiber glass cloth

Fiber glass
Fiberglass is a lightweight, extremely strong, and robust material. Although strength properties
are somewhat lower than carbon fiber and it is less stiff, the material is typically far less brittle,
and the raw materials are much less expensive. Its bulk strength and weight properties are also

very favorable when compared to metals, and it can be easily formed using molding processes.

Aluminium alloys
Aluminium alloys are alloys in which aluminum (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical
alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. There are two principal
classifications, namely casting alloys and wrought alloys, both of which are further subdivided
into the categories heat-treatable and non-heat-treatable.
Aluminium alloys typically have an elastic modulus of about 70 GPa, which is about one-third of
the elastic modulus of most kinds of steel and steel alloys. Therefore, for a given load, a
component or unit made of an aluminium alloy will experience a greater elastic deformation than
a steel part of the identical size and shape.

Stainless steel
Stainless steel does not readily corrode, rust or stain with water as ordinary steel does, but despite the

name it is not fully stain-proof, most notably under low oxygen, high salinity, or poor circulation
environments.There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the
environment the alloy must endure.
Stainless steels contain sufficient chromium to form a passive film of chromium oxide, which
prevents further surface corrosion by blocking oxygen diffusion to the steel surface and blocks
corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure, and due to the similar size of the
steel and oxide ions they bond very strongly and remain attached to the surface.

Construction of missile airframe

Cleaning stainless steel surface

Airfrane component-Housing