Technology Details

Ceramic-Composite Integral Armour

   

The present  innovation is a unique technology to produce lightweight, maintenance  free and easily repairable  multifunctional alternative  engineered material known as Ceramic Composite Integral Armour which can be used for structural requirements  and ballistic threats.  The innovation is lighter and more efficient than  metals and it can be integrated  with the  composites to provide alternative solutions to the current bulky metallic structures with add-on/strap-on armour. The present technology can be used to manufacture  large and complex structural parts with integrated ceramics. This technology offers substantial weight advantages  (over 40%) on  the  conventional  technique  of strap-on  externally applied armour. Further, integral armour exploits the benefits of ceramics more than strap-on armour because of the additional confinement of ceramics achieved due to integration of structure and armour. The strap-on armour is made in flat rectangular pieces and cannot be applied to complex curved surfaces whereas integral armour can easily comply with complex shapes. Large structures such as armoured vehicles and assault boat hulls with complex shapes and curves can be made  in few  pieces  with  minimum joints.  Features such  as  watertight  and amphibious construction can easily be incorporated. The solution also significantly lowers the fabrication time making large-scale production cost effective. Cost- effective and easy repair of damaged  armour is also possible due to modular construction. Parasitic mass such as spall-liners and additional backing material for ceramics essential in strap-on armour is completely eliminated in integral armour. Further, modular construction of integral armour using small ceramic tiles allows for its easy repair  after  impact. The present  technology is based  on Vacuum Assisted Resisted Resin Transfer Moulding VARTM process for manufacture  of composites  structures.  Ceramic-composite integral  armour  has ceramic layer, rubber layer, backing composites structural layer, cover layer and other functional layers such as layers for fire-protection. The whole structure along with the integral armour is manufactured  in one go. The ceramic layer provides primary ballistic protection while the composites layer is the structural layer.    The present  innovation is a unique technology to produce lightweight, maintenance  free and easily repairable  multifunctional alternative  engineered material known as Ceramic Composite Integral Armour which can be used for structural requirements  and ballistic threats.The innovation is lighter and more efficient than  metals and it can be integrated  with the  composites to provide alternative solutions to the current bulky metallic structures with add-on/strap-on armour. The present technology can be used to manufacture  large and complex structural parts with integrated ceramics. This technology offers substantial weight advantages  (over 40%) on  the  conventional  technique  of strap-on  externally applied armour. Further, integral armour exploits the benefits of ceramics more than strap-on armour because of the additional confinement of ceramics achieved due to integration of structure and armour. The strap-on armour is made in flat rectangular pieces and cannot be applied to complex curved surface   whereas integral armour can easily comply with complex shapes. Large structures such as armoured vehicles and assault boat hulls with complex shapes and curves can be made  in few  pieces  with  minimum joints.  Features such  as  watertight  and amphibious construction can easily be incorporated. The solution also significantly lowers the fabrication time making large-scale production cost effective. Cost- effective and easy repair of damaged  armour is also possible due to modular construction. Parasitic mass such as spall-liners and additional backing material for ceramics essential in strap-on armour is completely eliminated in integral armour. Further, modular construction of integral armour using small ceramic tiles allows for its easy repair  after  impact. The present  technology is based  on Vacuum Assisted Resisted Resin Transfer Moulding VARTM process for manufacture  of composites  structures.  Ceramic-composite integral  armour  has ceramic layer, rubber layer, backing composites structural layer, cover layer and other functional layers such as layers for fire-protection. The whole structure along with the integral armour is manufactured  in one go. The ceramic layer provides primary ballistic protection while the composites layer is the structural layer.

    Ceramic armour is lighter and more efficient than metals. When integrated  with composites,  it  acts  as  a  significantly lightweight  multi-functional  alternative catering for structural requirements  and ballistic threats.  Technology has been established  to manufacture  large and complex structural parts with integrated ceramics. This technology offers substantial weight advantages (over 40%) on the conventional technique  of strap-on externally applied armour. Further, integral armour exploits the benefits of ceramics more than strap-on armour because of the additional confinement of ceramics achieved due to integration of structure and armour. The strap-on armour is made in flat rectangular pieces and cannot be applied to complex curved surfaces whereas integral armour can easily comply with complex shapes. Parasitic mass such as spall-liners and additional backing material for ceramics essential in strap-on  armour is completely eliminated in integral armour.  Further, modular construction  of integral armour  using small ceramic tiles allows for its easy repair after impact.