Development

Development project of components for military applications:
A Comprehensive Guide

The development of components for military applications presents engineers and developers with major challenges.

In addition to the need to guarantee absolute reliability and robustness, the materials and designs must also meet specific military standards and withstand rigorous testing.
This guide highlights the entire development cycle of such a project, from material selection to final design and production.

CFRP structure

1. requirements analysis and concept development

Every project starts with a comprehensive requirements analysis. The functionalities and specifications that the components must fulfill are defined. This includes:

Mechanical strength: Requirements for strength, hardness and toughness.
Resistance to environmental influences: Resistance to corrosion, moisture, temperature fluctuations and chemicals.
Electrical properties, if relevant
MLG Rheinmetall
Firing test of a naval gun

2. material selection

Choosing the right materials is of central importance in this phase. Special plastics and composite materials are usually used for military applications. Popular materials are

GRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic):

Description

GRP consists of glass fibers embedded in a polymer resin. It is known for its high strength, rigidity and corrosion resistance

Suitability

Suitable for military applications such as add-on parts for vehicles, protective helmets and structural parts, due to its high load-bearing capacity and lightweight construction.

CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic):

Description

CFRP consists of carbon fibers that are also embedded in a polymer resin. It offers very high strength and rigidity with low weight.

Suitability

Highly suitable for applications where high strength, expansion and low weight are crucial.

Defense technology CFRP
CFRP – composite material

AFK (aramid fiber reinforced plastic):

Description

AFK consists of aramid fibers embedded in a resin. Aramid fibers such as Kevlar are known for their high tensile strength and heat resistance.

Suitability

Very suitable for ballistic protection in body armor and helmets as well as for reinforcements in vehicles.

Cylon / PBO:

Description

Zylon is a poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) fiber (PBO) that offers extremely high tensile strength and thermal stability.

Suitability

Excellent for ballistic protection applications and high performance composites, although it is sensitive to UV light and moisture.

Composite material: Lightweight, robust 3D molded protection for demanding military applications
Zylon (PBO) composite material

PEEK (polyether ether ketone):

Description

PEEK is a high-performance thermoplastic with high chemical resistance, excellent strength and rigidity as well as high temperature resistance.

Suitability

Very suitable for applications with large temperature fluctuations, such as in aerospace and weapons systems.

Polyurethane:

Description

Polyurethane is a versatile plastic that occurs in soft and hard forms. It can be available as foam, elastomer or in solid forms.

Suitability

Suitable for protective coatings, upholstery and seals. Not ideal for structurally relevant or high-strength applications.

Elastic plastics
Electro casting with polyurethane materials

Epoxy:

Description

Epoxy resins are often used as adhesives and matrix materials in composite materials. They offer excellent strength, rigidity and chemical resistance.

Suitability

Highly suitable as a binder in composite materials such as GFRP and CFRP and as a protective coating and adhesive for military equipment.

Polycarbonate:

Description

Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic material with high impact strength and optical clarity.

Suitability

Excellent for ballistic protection applications and high performance composites, although it is sensitive to UV light and moisture.

Extremely impact-resistant injection-molded parts for military equipment

Polyamide (nylon):

Description

Polyamides are strong, abrasion-resistant plastics with excellent chemical resistance and good mechanical properties.

Suitability

Suitable for technical parts such as gears, bearings and fastenings as well as fixed protective clothing.

Polyurea:

Description

Polyurea is an elastomer produced by the reaction of isocyanate with a resin mixture. It offers fast curing and excellent physical properties such as impact strength and abrasion resistance.

Suitability

Very suitable for protective coatings for vehicle armoring and protective walls due to its excellent resistance and flexibility.

Qualifications and tests

As part of the material selection and qualification process, the materials have to pass a large number of special tests:

Shaker test: Ensures that the components can withstand vibrations and shocks.
Environmental tests: Checks resistance to extreme temperatures, moisture, salt spray and other environmental influences.
Corrosion tests: Ensures that the components are corrosion-resistant.
Material fatigue tests: Checks the service life and durability of the material.

3. construction and design optimization

Another critical point is the design of the components. Factors such as wall thickness, radii and machining allowances play a decisive role here.

Wall thickness

Mechanical requirements: The wall thickness must be designed to withstand the mechanical loads without being oversized.
Weight saving: Weight is a critical factor, especially for components for the aerospace sector.
Production aspects: A wall thickness that is too thin can make it difficult to manufacture and comply with production tolerances.

Radii and transitions

Avoidance of stress peaks: Sharp edges and small radii can cause stress peaks and thus material failure. Transitions should therefore have generous radii.
Manufacturing options: The radii should be selected so that they can be easily realized with the available production technologies.

Machining allowances

Material removal: Machined parts require additional material additions to guarantee the tolerances and surface quality.
Economy: Additions should be minimized to reduce material waste, but sufficient to make production safe and efficient.

4. prototype development and test phase

After the design phase, the project moves on to the prototype development phase. Prototypes are usually produced using additive manufacturing (3D printing), CNC machining or other rapid manufacturing processes.

The prototypes undergo the same rigorous tests that are later used for series production:

Mechanical tests
Environmental tests
Integration and functional tests
CFRP values
Pressure test of a GRP molded pipe

5. final design and series production

Based on the results of the prototype tests, the design may be adapted and optimized. The final design must:

Be efficient and reliable
Meet the required norms and standards
Be economically viable

Economical production

Material efficiency: Optimum use of materials without excessive waste.
Manufacturing techniques: Choosing the right manufacturing processes that enable cost-efficient and fast production.
Automation: Where possible, automation of production processes to reduce errors and costs.

Conclusion

The development of components for military applications is a complex task that requires in-depth expertise and precision at every stage of the project. From the correct selection and qualification of materials, to detailed design and cost-effective production, numerous factors must be taken into account to meet the high demands of the military sector. Only through close collaboration between material scientists, engineers and manufacturing specialists can the best possible results be achieved.

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