Cast Encapsulation of Unfinished Ceramic Armor Tiles

Presently, the Army experiences numerous problems with existing manufacturing processes for the metal encapsulation of ceramic tiles within the current inventory of armor solutions. REL, Inc. will address the specific problems of directly casting the encapsulated ceramic structure to net/near net shape and the high cost of ceramic tile finishing practices currently required for existing ceramic panel designs through the identification and implementation of a new manufacturing process. This process will allow the ceramic tiles to remain unfinished before encapsulation, thereby eliminating the need for close tolerances and greatly reducing manufacturing costs while increasing the quality and consistency of the end product. Ultimately, this will result in the availability of more systems through the establishment of a new industry standard that will provide the required legacy and future platform for an innovative integrate and materials process for the survivability of the Warfighter.