Presented at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Fuze Section, National Defense Industrial Association, San Antonio, TX, April 2002.
Barry T. Neyer
PerkinElmer Optoelectronics
1100 Vanguard Blvd
Miamisburg, OH 45342
(937) 865-5586
(937) 865-5170 (Fax)
Barry.Neyer@PerkinElmer.com
The fuze community has required a variety of tests for qualification and lot acceptance. Many of these test requirements have been developed through the years as a response to past failures. Most of these tests were developed when the safe and arms were mechanical and the detonators were hot wire devices. However, today with electronic safe and arms, the utility of some of these tests is not as apparent. The author will discuss a number of the tests that are required of detonators, and why he believes many of the tests are not necessary. By redirecting testing resources to more productive tests, more reliable detonators and safe and arm systems can be obtained within present budgets.