Integrate Piston Cup Assembly

Rule: if you are not directly helping with integration, you must be dancing.

Pre-Assembly: Build the Firebolt Jumbo

Make sure you are using all appropriate PPE such as goggles and gloves!

  1. Take a DRILLED & TAPPED 1/8 NPT PLUG (which has a 1/4-20 hole drilled and tapped through the middle) and thread a FIREBOLT into it using approximately 3 wraps of TEFLON TAPE.
  2. Put two E-MATCHES through the hole in the 1/4-20 bolt and glue with 5 MINUTE EPOXY on the head end of the screw. You will need a POPSICLE STICK.
  3. On the other end of the screw, you may be able to push a small amount of epoxy on, but don't get it in the plug's threads.
  4. After the epoxy dries, put a preselected amount of BLACK POWDER in a little packet of BLUE TAPE, with the e-match head inside of the packet.

Pre-Assembly: Tender Descender Setup

  1. Take the two TENDER DESCENDER BODIES and put the appropriate amount of black powder in them.
  2. Close the bodies and thread a firebolt into each one, using approximately three wraps of Teflon tape.

Pre-Assembly: Pack the Main Parachute 

  1. Take the MAIN PARACHUTE.
  2. Pack the main parachute into the DEPLOYMENT BAG.

 Primary Integration Checklist

  1. Make sure that the PISTON rod is fully compressed (retracted).
  2. Integrate the 1/8TH NPT ELBOW FITTING into the piston inlet port that is closest to the blunt end. Use approximately three wraps of Teflon tape. Make sure that the male end of the elbow fitting is pointing downwards.
  3. Screw in the Jumbo Firebolt into the male end of the elbow fitting using approximately three wraps of Teflon tape

  4. Screw the PAYLOAD BULKHEAD into the top of the piston using four 3/4" LONG 1/4-28 BOLTS. You need a 3/16THS HEX KEY.

  5. INSERT AVIONICS BAY INTEGRATION PROCEDURE HERE

  6. Put the AVIONICS BAY COUPLER over the piston. The coupler's switchband should be closer to the side with the Firebolt screwed in.

  7. Using four 1/2" 1/4-28 LOW PROFILE SCREWS screw in the AVIONICS BULKHEAD to the bottom of the piston. The milled face (mass saving cuts) should be internal to the Avionics Bay. Use the 3/16ths hex key again.

  8. Now it's time to assembly the cup including its contents, including soft goods such as WEBBING and chutes as well as eye nut, cotter pin, tender descenders, and more.
  9. Fully screw a 3/8-16TH NUT onto the piston. Slide the DIAPHRAGM onto the piston and screw in the 3/8-16TH EYE BOLT.
  10. INSERT INFORMATION ON USING LOCTITE
  11. Put the COTTER PIN in the eye nut. 
  12. Put a 1000LB QUICKLINK on the eye nut. Don't close the quicklink yet.
  13. Now it's time to integrate the two Tender Descenders.
  14. Attach both Tender Descenders using one of the two KEVLAR LOOPS to the quicklink. The Tender Descenders should be in parallel. Consult this page for more information. 
  15. Before closing that quicklink, make sure to also secure the TD safety wires to that quicklink. Add a 1500LB SWIVEL to this quicklink and then once this is done, secure the quicklink.
  16. Using the second kevlar loop, connect the other ends of the Tender Descenders. Secure another 1000LB QUICKLINK to this.
  17. Check the setup of the Tender Descenders thoroughly. Have somebody else check it, too.
  18. When routing the e-match wires to the Avionics bay D-sub, leave plenty of slack between the Avionics Bay Bulkhead and the Diaphgram (at least 5"). Feel free to secure with a small amount of blue tape.
  19. Off to the side, coil the booster to mission package webbing and stow in several small infinity wraps using minimal tape. The optimal height of each infinity wrap is a little over 1". Leave enough slack on one end (do not wrap) to extend the lines from the diaphragm to the forward closure. 
  20. Once this is done, return to the 1500lb swivel you installed early and attach a 1000LB QUICKLINK to the other side. 
  21. Attach the slack side of the booster to mission package webbing to this outermost quicklink.
  22. Screw the diaphragm into the CUP with FOUR 10-32 GRUB SCREWS using a 7/64 HEX KEY.
    Everything you previously installed should be inside of the cup.
  23. Coil the main riser and stow in several small infinity wraps using minimal tape. Attach one side to a 1000LB QUICKLINK followed by a 1500LB SWIVEL followed by another 1000LB QUICKLINK and then the main parachute shroud lines.
  24. Attach the other end of the main riser using a 1000LB QUICKLINK to the eye nut.
  25. Pack the riser, followed by the shroud lines, and then the main parachute into the cup.
  26. Attach the main deployment bag using some 2000LB KEVLAR LINE to the quicklink on the other side of the Tender Descenders. You may need to cut using KEVLAR SHEARS.
  27. Using a setup of 880 LB QUICKLINK, 1500 LB SWIVEL, and then 880 LB QUICKLINK, attach the DROGUE riser to the top of the main deployment bag.
  28. Put the AIRFRAME TUBE over this complete assembly. 
  29. "Struggle with clocking" - Jakob
  30. Screw in four 1/2" 8-32 SCREWS to attach the Airframe to the Avionics Bay.
  31. Attach the NOSE CONE with the right clocking to the other end of the Avionics Bay using four 8-32 SCREWS.
  32. Attach the mission package to booster webbing to the PSEUDO FORWARD CLOSURE with a 1000LB QUICKLINK followed by a 1500LB SWIVEL and then another 1000LB QUICKLINK. 
  33. Pack the mission package to booster webbing to the pseudo forward closure.
  34. Place the drogue on top. The drogue should be as close to the separation point as possible. 
  35. Put the mission package assembly on the extension coupler and secure with three 6-32 SHEAR PINS. Put a bit of tape over each shear pin.

Materials:

DRILLED & TAPPED 1/8 NPT PLUG (has a 1/4-20" hole tapped and threaded in the middle of it)

3x FIREBOLTS (a 1/4-20" bolt with a hole in the middle of it)

TEFLON TAPE

3x E-MATCH

5 MINUTE EPOXY

POPSICLE STICK

BLACK POWDER

BLUE TAPE

2x TENDER DESCENDER BODIES

MAIN PARACHUTE

DEPLOYMENT BAG

PISTON (the small one)

1/8TH NPT ELBOW FITTING

PAYLOAD BULKHEAD

4x 3/4" LONG 1/4-28 BOLTS 

3/16THS HEX KEY

AVIONICS BAY COUPLER

4x 1/2" 1/4-28 LOW PROFILE SCREWS

AVIONICS BULKHEAD

WEBBING

3/8-16TH NUT

DIAPHRAGM

 3/8-16TH EYE BOLT

 LOCTITE

 COTTER PIN

 7x 1000LB QUICKLINKS (pack at least 4 extras)

2x KEVLAR LOOPS

4x 1500LB SWIVELS

CUP

4x 10-32 GRUB SCREWS

7/64 HEX KEY

2000LB KEVLAR LINE

KEVLAR SHEARS (the gray scissors)

2x 880LB QUICKLINKS

DROGUE

AIRFRAME TUBE

8x 1/2" 8-32 SCREWS

NOSE CONE 

PSEUDO FORWARD CLOSURE 

PACK OF 6-32 SHEAR PINS

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