Buckeye Shapeform to manufacture Lockheed Martin missile part

Buckeye Shapeform, a Columbus, Ohio-based enclosure manufacturer, has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin to produce missile skins for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead rocket. Lockheed Martin received a contract in mid-2016 from the U.S. Army to produce the rocket.

The purchase order calls for Buckeye Shapeform to manufacture 3,000 GMLRS missile skins per contract year, with an option to tool up to 6,000. Production of the 4-ft.-long part is expected to begin in late Q1 or early Q2 2017.

The part will be produced using deep drawing. The company will iron the part during deep drawing, allowing sections of the material to be ironed to different wall thicknesses. A series of drawing and ironing steps will control the flow of metal to deliver the desired configuration within the required tolerances. This method results in a seamless, one-piece part with multiple wall thicknesses and diameters created through minimal operations.