A need exists to improve the ballistic response of armor for Littoral Combat Ships. Simply increasing armor thickness is unacceptable because the associated increase in weight and space would reduce vessel performance speed and range. Surface treatment techniques for current armor materials such as steel, aluminum and ceramic may improve armor performance significantly without an associated weight penalty. Ormond has developed a low cost cavitation peening process that has already been shown to improve ballistic response of silicon carbide and boron carbide armor. Since that testing by the Army, cavitation peening has improved considerably. The process imparts deep residual compressive stresses in other materials of interest also, such as steel and aluminum. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of improving ballistic response of armor materials through cavitation peening. Improvements will be quantified through ballistic testing. Major advantages of the process include its low cost, ability to peen ceramic as well as metals, its suitability to use in ship yards (even using existing pumps and robots) and the ability to peen large structures in place through the tankless peening process. It is also environmentally benign, using only recycled water.
Benefit: A method to improve the effectiveness of armor without a weight penalty would be of significant advantage in almost all armor applications. Body armor could be made lighter, or the improved performance could be used to increase protection. Vehicle armor could be made lighter, increasing vehicle speed, range, stability and performance. Flight critical components (and personnel) could be protected on both rotor craft and fixed wing without deterioration of performance. By making structural components made from steel, aluminum and titanium more resistant to ballistic impact, the need for weight increasing non-load bearing armor panels would be decreased. Because the process can be applied to existing structures the technique would be suitable for retrofitting existing components as well as new construction. Outside of military applications, the process would also be applicable to Law enforcement needs and stationary target structures.
Keywords: hardening, hardening, Cavitation Peening, Waterjet, Laser Peening, ceramic, armor, Littoral Combat Ship
