Description:
OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative, low cost approach to capture fragmentation mass, location, material type from a Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manual (JMEM) arena characterization test. The objective is to reduce cost, man hours and turnaround time of data. DESCRIPTION: AMRDEC is interested in developing techniques to improve the data collection and analysis associated with performing ground-based static warhead arena characterization tests. These tests adhere to the guidelines and procedures described in the Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manual (JMEM). The current method of characterizing muntions is costly, labor intensive and produces an incomplete record of data. For an arena test, a warhead is placed in the center of an arena consisting of blast-pressure gages and fragment collection media (often celotex bundles). When initiated, the warhead fragments impinge themselves into the celotex bundles for subsequent measurement and analysis of their location, weight and shape. Several days, if not weeks of tedious and error-prone labor (~30hours/bundle) are necessary to locate, recover, weight and record the geometry of each fragment into a database; many of the smaller fragments are not even recovered. At an estimated $100/hr - the cost of an arena test can balloon quite substantially as the number of bundles and manhours to collect/analyze each bundle increase. A typical fragment collection procedure is as follows: 1. Examine one bundle sheet at a time (typically a 2-foot thick bundle contains 48 sheets [4'x8'x0.5"sheet]) 2. Locate fragments by hand and record location 3. Dig fragment out of celotex and place in a bag with fragment number for reference in database 4. Clean fragment with acetone and determine material type 5. Weigh fragment and record 6. Compile all information into spreadsheet database for further analysis PHASE I: Develop an innovative, low cost concept to capture fragmentation mass, location, material type using an automated method to detect and map fragment and provide fragment mass from a celotex bundle. This model should demonstrate modeling and simulation of the ability to detect, track, derive position and mass, and record each fragment embedded in a bundle. The deliverable thresholds are: 1. Material detection - Steel only 2. Location Coordinates - x, y, z coordinates with +/-0.5in 3. Mass - within 10% of fragment true weight 4. Time - 15 hours per bundle The deliverable objectives are: 1. Material detection - Steel, Aluminum, Titanium 2. Location Coordinates - x, y, z coordinates within +/-0.25in 3. Mass - within 5% of fragment true weight 4. Time - 10 hours per bundle During this phase, a plan/design for implementing this system into hardware will need to be developed. PHASE II: Following the development plan outlined in Phase I - design, develop, and implement a prototype fragmentation data collection and analysis tool (hardware and software) during a JMEMs arena test. A deliverable from the Phase II will be the delivery of an analysis system( hardware and software) to AMREDC and a successful demonstration of the hardware and software of a JMEMs arena test meeting the minimum threshold requirements (preferably meeting the objectives) with documented results. Present a path forward to support JMEMs arena testing with the implementation of the analysis tool and look at potential commercialization areas. PHASE III: Mature the system developed in Phase II to a test-ready status. The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for potential commercial users in the areas of sensors and software capable of high speed, high fidelity physical position and size measurements and detection. Once proven, this technology could be used in a vast array of fields such as the medical field and mining industry.
