Aerobotix automates coating for hypersonic missile parts
Hypersonic missiles require thermal protection and aerodynamic consistency. (Photo: Aerobotix)
Robotic process delivers optimal coating for complex missile components.
US industrial robotics integrator Aerobotix has put into operation an automated production line to provide thermal protection and aerodynamic consistency for hypersonic missiles.
‘A robotic assembly line scans, sands, paints, and measures complex missile components achieving critical tolerances required for hypersonic flight,’ the company announced on 30 March, adding: ‘This process will allow for consistent application of MINTEQ's FIREX RX-2390 ablative coating to shield the missile structure from the extreme temperatures of hypersonic flight.’
An automated Shape Fidelity Scanner records the dimensions of each component. This data is used to generate a custom path to scuff sand each component for optimal coating adhesion. An explosion-proof paint robot then applies dozens of layers of FIREX RX-2390.
‘Our robotic process allows us a tolerance of one mil or one-thousandth of an inch,’ said Aerobotix process engineering manager Kent Pfeifer, adding that this precision is impossible with traditional hand spraying methods.
Using the robotic process, Aerobotix ‘can essentially spray half the thickness of a sheet of paper consistently across an entire missile’, Pfeifer said. ‘Repeated over dozens of layers, we can achieve a level of accuracy that is physically impossible with the traditional method of spraying by hand.’
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Why small guns have been critical to layered CUAS architectures]()
Why small guns have been critical to layered CUAS architectures
Multiple countries have been deploying small arms as the last line of drone defence due to their multiple operational and tactical advantages.
-
![Singapore Airshow 2026: ST Engineering hints at export success for AME assault rifle family]()
Singapore Airshow 2026: ST Engineering hints at export success for AME assault rifle family
The Singapore-based technology company unveiled its new rifle family at this week’s airshow. Chen Chuanren spoke with the ST Engineering’s head of small arms to find out more about how the weapons have been refined.
-
![High tension in the High North – a wake-up call for NATO’s future Arctic defence efforts?]()
High tension in the High North – a wake-up call for NATO’s future Arctic defence efforts?
Any potential ‘Arctic Sentry’ mission would be months in the planning, but with tensions high in the region given the US’s push for Greenland, NATO countries will need to continue to emphasise their commitment to the region, analysts have said.
-
![Venezuela prepares personnel and equipment for a potential second US attack]()
Venezuela prepares personnel and equipment for a potential second US attack
Defence Minister Gen Vladimir Padrino López has declared that the Venezuelan armed forces “will continue to employ all its available capabilities for military defence”.
-
![As the new year starts, the UK defence spending delay continues]()
As the new year starts, the UK defence spending delay continues
The UK’s defence spending commitments remain uncertain as the government’s Defence Investment Plan, which had been due by the end of 2025, is yet to be published.
