PYROTECHNIC TIME DELAYS

Pyrotechnic time delays are vital for timing detonation events with accuracy and precision, contributing to the overall success of military and aerospace operations.

At AETC, we manufacture some of the highest quality aerospace pyrotechnic and explosive devices in the industry, including our top-of-the-line time delays. We’ve spent over 40 years developing dependable products while providing customers with exceptional service.

What Are Pyro Time Delays?

Pyrotechnic delays operate as chemical timers. They create calibrated time delays between an incoming pyrotechnic event and an outgoing one. Users have chosen these compositions for military operations because they can delay reactions from a few milliseconds to several seconds, depending on the application.

How Do Pyrotechnic Time Delays Work?

Time delays contain combustion materials that respond to standard detonating forces like deflagrating lines, detonating tips or hot gas, which initiate the time-delay fuses to activate them. These devices include pyrotechnic cartridges with hermetically sealed housings that store the powder delay composition where the input and output devices meet. They also feature a small column insulated delay (SCID) component, which performs the delay function using a metal sheath-contained fuse material that controls burn rate.

Different Types of Time Delays

There are numerous types of time delays, each of them ranging in size and delay variation time. When choosing a pyro time delay for your intended application, it’s essential to consider these elements before investing in a solution.

Time delays have various time capabilities, each with different delay lengths. At AETC, we manufacture pyrotechnic time delay devices with delays of various lengths, which are ideal for applications requiring shorter combustion times. If you’re looking for time delays of one, two, three, four or five seconds, AETC has dependable solutions suited to your needs.

Pyro time delays are also available in numerous sizes and weight configurations that you should consider before choosing a model. In most cases, more compact devices are more suitable for military and aerospace applications.

Pencil Delay Cutters

One variety of these pyrotechnics is the pencil delay cutter used in parachutes and other devices. A pencil delay cutter can prompt a second parachute up to six seconds after the initial parachute has been released.

What Are Pyro Time Delays Used For?

Pyrotechnic time delay devices are ideal for applications that require high environmental durability, combustion material containment and reliability. They’re suitable for aerospace and military use because they offer efficient timing control, compact packaging, high energy output and versatile input and output capabilities. These characteristics make these components common in Air Force and Navy applications.

Other uses for pyro time delays include:

  • Parachutes and secondary parachute release systems.
  • Seat ejection and deployment systems.
  • Explosion delays.
  • Orbital vehicle applications.
  • Delta launches.
  • Oil and gas environments.

Purchase Reliable Aircraft Pyrotechnic Delays at AETC Today

You can find safe and reliable pyrotechnic time delay devices at AETC. We manufacture the highest quality products tailored to our customers’ needs while ensuring the best lead times, communication and customer service.

Contact us to learn more about our pyrotechnic products today!