KÖNIGSLUTTER, GERMANY (17.10.2024)
3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is revolutionising the manufacturing of ballistic safety options. Specifically, 3D printing of armour metal opens up new prospects when it comes to design freedom, weight discount and the manufacture of advanced elements, in addition to the mixing of further features.
Give attention to innovation and expertise
Mehler Safety affords a novel portfolio in Europe, offering safety options for all threats and safety ranges in line with STANAG 4569, together with full welded subsystems. The M-RACC (Multirole Armour Composite Parts) product household consists of modular, purely passive options towards ballistic projectiles, formed prices/anti-tank weapons, IEDs, mines and roof safety options. These are utilized in navy and civilian automobiles, ships, helicopters and for crucial infrastructure safety.
Patented 3D printing expertise for armour metal is opening up new prospects within the design of protecting elements. Layer-by-layer manufacturing permits exact management of fabric properties, leading to constant resistance to ballistic threats. By refining the printing expertise and post-processing, mechanical properties will be additional optimised.
Design freedom and superior manufacturing processes
A key benefit of PROTEC3D is the just about limitless design freedom it affords. Whereas typical strategies are sometimes restricted by geometric constraints, 3D printing allows the realisation of advanced buildings and shapes that had been beforehand unimaginable.
Mehler Safety makes use of an Selective Laser Melting (SLM) course of to fabricate the elements. By welding the 3D printed elements with the identical alloy, massive elements will be produced. This permits the event of customised safety options which can be exactly tailor-made to particular necessities and working circumstances. Subsequent warmth remedy achieves hardnesses of 400-620 HB. The result’s a homogeneous product with no weaknesses in welds, warmth affected zones or hardness transitions.
As well as, PROTEC3D affords the choice of cathodic dip coating (CDC). This course of is just not attainable with typical armour metal, because it reduces the hardness and thus the ballistic efficiency of the fabric. As well as, the method doesn’t have an effect on the alloy used, making it appropriate for the corrosion safety of advanced buildings.
Effectivity by way of practical integration
3D printing makes it attainable to provide extremely advanced elements in a single manufacturing step. Historically, such elements should be assembled from a number of components, introducing further weaknesses and including weight. With additive manufacturing, advanced geometries and inner buildings, similar to cavities or reinforcements, will be built-in instantly into the half. This improves each structural integrity and manufacturing effectivity whereas decreasing general weight.
PROTEC3D additionally permits further features to be built-in instantly into the part. For instance, sensors instances will be geared up with cooling channels to lower the thermal signature, or mounting factors for different elements will be seamlessly embedded into the construction. This reduces the necessity for subsequent meeting steps and will increase the reliability and lifespan of safety options. This minimises the necessity for reassembly and will increase the reliability and sturdiness of safety options.
Brief procurement instances and value effectivity
One other key good thing about PROTEC3D is the drastic discount in lead instances and related price efficiencies. Conventional manufacturing processes typically require lengthy lead instances for the manufacturing of moulds and instruments, in addition to advanced manufacturing steps. 3D printing eliminates many of those steps, leading to a lot quicker manufacturing. Prototypes and small sequence will be produced in days slightly than weeks or months. As well as, additive manufacturing permits for extra environment friendly use of supplies through the use of solely the fabric that’s wanted. These advantages assist to ship ballistic safety options quicker, extra flexibly and extra cost-effectively, which is especially worthwhile in time-critical and resource-intensive eventualities.
Various functions and future potential
PROTEC3D is already getting used efficiently within the first sequence initiatives within the discipline of civil safety automobiles. For instance, window frames with safety stage VPAM 9 have been realised with vital weight financial savings.
At this yr’s Eurosatory in Paris, the worldwide defence and safety exhibition, an software within the discipline of optronics was introduced. The PROTEC3D sensor housing, which meets STANAG Degree 3 necessities, demonstrates the wide selection of prospects provided by 3D printing for advanced elements. This sensor housing was not solely geared up with brackets for sensor components, but in addition with channels for compressed air for cleansing the lenses and cooling pipes to scale back warmth signatures. Basically, PROTEC3D affords many new software prospects, similar to eliminating vulnerabilities in navy land automobiles with ballistic protected media disconnectors and cable feed-throughs.
Conclusion
PROTEC3D affords vital benefits when it comes to design freedom, ballistic efficiency, manufacturing of advanced elements and weight optimisation. It additionally ensures quicker procurement and value effectivity. By enhancing each effectivity and effectiveness, PROTEC3D units new requirements for flexibility and adaptableness in ballistic safety. The continual growth and application-specific customisation of PROTEC3D guarantees to remodel the sphere of ballistic safety options and open up progressive approaches for the longer term.
For extra details about Mehler Safety please go to: mehler-protection.com
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