Aluminum Armor Panel with Composite Layer for Ballistic Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing armor panels face challenges in achieving a balance between armor-piercing (AP) and fragment-simulated projectile (FSP) protection while being cost-effective and lightweight, as materials with good AP resistance often perform poorly in FSP tests and vice versa, and current solutions require complex and expensive production processes.
Innovation Solution
An aluminum alloy armor panel with a specific chemical composition (7.5% ≤ Zn ≤ 9.7%, 1.5% ≤ Mg ≤ 2.9%, 1.2% ≤ Cu ≤ 2.1%, and other elements within specified limits) combined with a composite reinforcing layer of high mechanical performance fibers like aramid or Kevlar, which provides enhanced ballistic protection with a surface density less than 100 kg/m².
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal armor panels (steel, aluminum, titanium) are used to stop armor-piercing projectiles, then kinetic energy absorption is excellent, but weight increases significantly reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining an aluminum alloy plate with a ceramic layer on the projectile-facing side and a composite reinforcing layer on the rear side. This composite structure achieves excellent kinetic energy absorption while maintaining lower weight compared to solid steel or titanium panels, as each layer contributes specific properties: the aluminum alloy provides baseline strength, the ceramic absorbs and dissipates projectile kinetic energy, and the reinforcing layer prevents fragmentation without requiring heavy metal construction throughout.
2Strength
If ceramic products are placed on the projectile-facing side of composite panels, then projectile stopping capacity increases, but production cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials to achieve projectile stopping capacity while controlling production cost. The aluminum alloy plate serves as a cost-effective substrate that is easier and cheaper to manufacture than solid ceramic or titanium armor. The ceramic layer is applied only where most needed (on the projectile-facing side), and the composite reinforcing layer on the rear provides necessary protection at lower cost than solid metal construction, creating an optimized balance between performance and manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The armor panel is segmented into three distinct functional layers: an aluminum alloy plate providing structural baseline, a ceramic layer on the projectile-facing side for kinetic energy absorption, and a composite reinforcing layer on the rear side for fragmentation prevention. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and manufactured separately, reducing overall production complexity and cost compared to monolithic armor designs.
3Weight of moving object
If aluminum alloy plates are used for armor panels, then weight is reduced, but FSP resistance performance becomes average
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by coating the aluminum alloy plate with a composite reinforcing layer comprising high-performance fibers (such as aramid, glass, or polyethylene) on the rear side. This composite layer significantly enhances FSP resistance by absorbing impact energy from fragmented debris while maintaining the lightweight advantage of the aluminum substrate, achieving both weight reduction and improved reliability against fragment-simulated projectiles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves improved AP and FSP protection with a lower surface density, allowing for level 5 protection defined in STANAG 4569, with significant gains in FSP performance even with a thin composite reinforcement layer, particularly with 7xxx series aluminum alloys and Kevlar 129 fabric layers.
Implementation Method 1
the ability to stop the projectiles, to absorb their kinetic energy without emitting dangerous debris
Implementation Method 2
a composite reinforcing layer comprising reinforcing fibers or strips having a high mechanical performance which gives them a high ballistic protection capacity
Implementation Method 3
characterizes the resistance to perforation
Implementation Method 4
excellent capacity to absorb kinetic energy from the armor-piercing projectile during an impact
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Armor panel comprising an aluminum alloy plate and characterized in that: a) said aluminum alloy has the following chemical composition, expressed in weight percentages: 5.1% ≤ Zn ≤ 9.7% 1.5% ≤ Mg ≤ 2.9% 1.2% ≤ Cu ≤ 2.1% Si ≤ 0.4% Fe ≤ 0.5% Mn ≤ 0.3% Cr ≤ 0.28% Tri ≤ 0.2% Zr ≤ 0.15% b) said plate comprises a face intended to be exposed to impacts and a face opposite said impact-exposed face which is coated with a composite reinforcement layer comprising fibers or reinforcing strips having a high ballistic protection capacity, typically made of high mechanical performance glass, aramid or high performance polyethylene.