Supply of surface finishing technology to space rocket area

When you are asked any typical thing of space satellite, you may easily associate with rocket. Nomura Plating who runs “Large-size Machining + Surface Finishing.com” commenced supply of surface finishing technology to space industry of everyone’s dream since 1980s. Development of H-II rocket has started in 1986 whose first rocket launched in 1994, Nomura Plating has participated in the project from the initial stage of R & D together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. in the area of surface finishing technology. H-II rocket was a joint development project of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and then NASDA, National Aero Space Development Agency (Currently called JAXA), and was a vehicle which was manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to launch the satellite. Nomura Plating was given credit in the project for the technical collaboration in manufacturing of main combustion chamber. Since the main combustion chamber of H-II rocket burns liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, the inner temperature of combustion chamber goes up to 2,000℃～3,000℃. Inner face of combustion chamber is made of copper and so copper melts if not cooled. For the purpose to cool down copper, uniform plating processing was required after securing the cooling grooves, but it was extremely difficult to process uniform surface finishing
because the rocket had the column like outer shape with hourglass-like concave resembling to Japanese gourd. Nomura Plating succeeded to resolve the problem which demands high technology, by the employment of its original electric casting technology. As the combustion chamber is the most important component parts of rocket engine, and so required technology of surface finishing should be superlative to clear the critical hurdle of quake resistance, durability and heat resistance. The successful achievement of the project target and challenge made it possible to acquire the ability for problem solving power.

Surface finishing of H-II / H-IIA rocket: Supply of the electric casting technology

Manufacturing of main combustion chamber was carried out to pour wax into the groove made on the wall face of combustion chamber to close the hole tentatively, and after that plating is given to the groove. After giving the plating, whole chamber is heated to melt wax that could form the cooling groove where liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen go through to the combustion chamber. This was the way the Company solved the most difficult surface finishing target. The copper electro formation technology developed at that time is prevailing in H-II and H-IIA rocket now in operation.

Provision of surface finishing technology to national project

Do you know “ Tristan Plan”?  “Tristan Plan” is a program executed in High Energy Physics Laboratory of Ministry of Education (now KEK) which was to study electronic reaction under the extremely high (world highest at the time) energy, first Japan origin elementary particle physical experiment. Outline of the research is to collide high powered electronic beam with positron beam in the facility called electron and positron collision type accelerator having the total circuit length of about 3 km from where something unknown particle or phenomenon may come out and to confirm them. Nomura Plating carried out the work to give electrolytic grinding to niobium in this electron and positron collision type accelerator. Niobium is a material used in linear motor car as super conductive magnet. Self-accumulated electrolytic grinding has purified the new material which has been employed inner surface of the accelerator. Nomura Plating has contributed in supporting the most advanced research activities through the realization of super conductive accelerate cavity.

Supply results of large-size machining and surface finishing to various industries

“Large-size Machining + Surface finishing.com” has supplied industrial rolls and metal plates to various industries and applications. Industries supplied are steel making and transportation which require heat resistance, abrasion resistance and high hardness, medical industry and film industry which require mirror finishing and high accuracy. Supply results include transport roll which require grip property and lubrication, as well as to mold and blade which require heat resistance, corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance. Industries that the site supplied among others are industries already have business transactions to add functionality to improve productivity, large capacity lithium battery to be mounted to hybrid cars, carriage parts of Japanese super express Shinkansen or public means of transportation indispensable of economic activities. Of medical industry, facility parts for medicine storage which require cleanliness, rolls to produce hard board box and rolls to make packing films that show that industries Nomura Plating has supplied spread widely.
During the past business transaction with the customers gave the Company the chance to sophisticate the technology of machining and surface finishing in order to satisfy the industries specific needs. The Company now is available to supply its original surface finishing technology to rolls and metal plates of each industry.

Industries to which “Large-size Machining + Surface Finishing .com” has supply result