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Investigation of Tetracene Decomposition Variation Using Taguchi Methodology 1 2 2 William Fox, Kristen Vogelsang , John Harris , Andrew Lathrop Introduction Over the past decade, it has become increasingly apparent that it is essential for military customers to maintain close working relationships with production facilities and contractors to ensure quality performance. The Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center (ARDEC) has had a long history of working closely with the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, the main producer of small caliber ammunition for the U.S. Military. Recently, this plant experienced difficulties in the production and testing of Tetracene, an initiating explosive used in ammunition primers. To resolve this problem, government and contractor personnel worked together to investigate and model the manufacturing process of Tetracene. As a part of this modeling process, test matrices were developed using the Taguchi Method of Quality Engineering. These modeling efforts resulted in a better understanding of the factors effecting the production, performance, and testing for Tetracene, ultimately allowing the plant to avoid production delays. Tetracene is a compound used in ammunition primers to increase and provide stability in the sensitivity of ignition. The original military specifications (Mil-Spec) require Tetracene to be manufactured with a “melting point”of between 128-132 degrees Celsius. Tetracene does not actually have a “melting point”but rather a decomposition point. (Decomposition poi