Manufacturing

Adhering to Lean Six Sigma principles, Vanguard Space Technologies provides end-to-end services in the areas of:

  • Tooling – Design, fabrication and set-up
  • Manufacturing – Laminates, panels and machining
  • Assembly – Component and subsystem

With nearly 80,000 square feet of space, and a planned expansion of 25,000 square feet in 2013, we design, build and test our aerospace composite structures and solar power systems in two world-class San Diego facilities:

Dowdy Facility (50,500 square feet)

  • Engineering and Administration – 20,000 square feet
  • Machine Shop – 5,000 square feet
  • Dedicated Layup Area – 3,000 square feet
  • Manufacturing High-Bay Controlled Environment – 22,500 square feet

Eastgate Facility (24,000 square feet; planned March 2013 expansion of 25,000 square feet)

  • Large spacecraft assembly frame (with a second frame planned)
  • Static load frame (large, 18′ x 18′ x 25′ and medium, 11′ x 11′ x 14′)
  • Data acquisition system 384 channels

We also use the following in the tooling, manufacturing and assembly of our precision composite structures and space power systems:

  • Two isolated lamination areas
    • 2,500-square-foot room
      • Manufacturing high-bay controlled environment
      • Environmentally controlled to 70° F ± 2° F with monitored RH
      • Automated ply cutter
      • Multiple cutting and lamination tables
      • Precision tube rolling
    • 500-square-foot room
      • Separate from main lamination area
      • Used for sensitive layup tasks
  • Mobile clean room
    • Laser projectors (4)
    • Kevlar/Astroquartz processing
    • Reflector gridding
    • PIM-sensitive assembly
  • Multiple autoclaves and ovens  
    • 12′ x 25′
    • 10′ x 30′
    • 3′ x 4′
    • 3′ x 5′
    • Nearly all with a maximum temperature of 450° F
    • Wisconsin oven  
      • 12′ x 14′ x 6′
      • Maximum temperature of 500° F
  • Precision router
    • 3-axis Komo, 12′ x 10′ bed, 3′ maximum height
    • Housed in separate, environmentally controlled room
    • Accurate to ± 0.0025″ local, 0.010″ overall
    • Dedicated to laminate and sandwich panel machining
  • Machining center
    • 5-axis CMS ARES-6026, 20′ x 9′ bed, 4′ maximum height
    • Vacuum table base
    • High efficiency dust extraction system
    • 5-axis molds machined to .001″ RMS for 9′ x 10′ surface