DEVELOPING A COMPUTER BASED ADHERENCE ASSESSMENT TOOL

Not Available The constant demand to improve the dynamic ballistic performance of tungsten based Hard Target penetrator (HTP) materials has forced the emergence of both new material systems and manufacturing processes. The use of functionally gradient materials (FGM) will provide both design and performance advantages over existing materials. Monolithic tungsten and tungsten-nickel-iron heavy alloys (WHA) have relied upon such manufacturing routes as hot forging and powder metallurgy (P/M) to provide useable end products. These methods however are plagued by significant processing problems, the most notable of which are forging strain cracks and loss of dimensional integrity using high temperature liquid phase sintering (LFS). Solid state densification via a well established and more flexible F/M forging route, The Coercion Technology, has emerged as an enabling technology capable of producing fully dense, near-net-shape components at cycle times as low as 3 to 5 minutes. Application of the Ceracon P/M forging technology to a combination of ballistic materials to yield a functionally gradient micro-structure will provide the next generation of high performance ballistic components.