Processes

AWE undertakes a wide range of manufacturing processes throughout the product lifecycle. These range from raw material production through component manufacture and certification, to assembly, subsequent disassembly and disposal of arisings. 

Many of the raw materials in use at AWE undergo initial processing through mixing, moulding, casting or pressing, often utilising high pressures and temperatures to achieve the desired material properties, forms and functional requirements. Precision machining operations are performed on a wide range of formed components including metals, explosives, rubbers and plastic materials. AWE also possesses the capability to undertake various specialist metal finishing operations. 

In order to provide certification of finished products, components are dimensionally inspected using highly accurate 3D Co-ordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) or purpose designed metrology gauges. Dependent on the design requirements for each product, techniques such as radiography, surface finish measurement and other forms of Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) are also widely used to assure product quality. 

Various finished components are assembled into nuclear warheads, subassemblies or hydrodynamic trials. This work encompasses both precise mechanical assembly of components, as well as advanced joining techniques utilising lasers, electron beam welding or diffusion bonding technology. High precision assembly of very small devices such as detonators is also undertaken, requiring strict attention to detail and high manual dexterity due to the accuracy of the finished products.