How a Rocket Tank Is Made

Primary process: Friction-stir Welding. The full route, materials, tolerances and design tips for a rocket tank, with an indicative cost.

Friction-stir WeldingPrimary process
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5Route steps

A rocket tank is primarily made by Friction-stir Welding. Friction stir welding joins metal in the solid state with a rotating tool that stirs the material together, avoiding melting and its defects. Below is the full route to make a rocket tank, the materials it suits, the tolerances to expect and the main design points. The route is free, from the finder.

Step by step

How a rocket tank is made

The usual route, raw material to finished part. The amber step is where the rocket tank gets its basic shape.

  1. Prepare the parts

    Make and clean the components the rocket tank brings together.
    Tooling None   Tolerance ±0.125mm, to ±0.025mm   Lead 1 to 10 days
  2. Fit-up

    Jig and align the parts, set the gap and tack where needed.
  3. Friction-stir Welding

    Join the parts to form the rocket tank.
    Tooling Medium   Tolerance good   Lead setup
  4. Clean and finish

    Dress the joint, remove flux or spatter, and coat if required.
  5. Inspection

    Inspect the joint visually and, for critical work, by NDT or leak test.

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Materials

Materials for a rocket tank

GradeWhy it suits this
Aluminium 5xxx/6xxxIdeal for FSW
Aluminium 7xxxHigh strength
Design

Design tips

General pointers. The full design-for-manufacturing list for a rocket tank is in the dossier.

  • Poor backing support. Design a solid backing/fixture.
  • Start/stop keyhole left in part. Add run-off tabs.
Cost

What a rocket tank should cost

Strong, low-distortion solid-state welds in aluminium (panels, battery trays, tanks); needs rigid fixturing.

PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
one-offat volumeVolume per order, low to highCost per part
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for a rocket tank at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$175 to 305 per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
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Everything you need to quote and source it

The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on a rocket tank and buy it well:

  • Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
  • Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
  • A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
  • The full DFM list and a ready-to-send RFQ draft

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See also: How Friction-stir Welding works and the full route for a rocket tank in the finder.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is a rocket tank made?
A rocket tank is primarily made by friction-stir welding. The route is: Prepare the parts; Fit-up; Friction-stir Welding; Clean and finish; Inspection.
What does a rocket tank cost?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $175 to 305 per part at 1 off and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. A model estimate, not a quote.
What material is a rocket tank made from?
Common choices are Aluminium 5xxx/6xxx; Aluminium 7xxx.
What is the main process for a rocket tank?
Friction-stir Welding. Long, strong, low-distortion joints in aluminium: panels, tanks and EV battery trays.
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