Development of an improved munition casing produced by Powder Metallurgy

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In the context of this research project in collaboration with the Centre de Metallurgy of Québec, CMQ, General Dynamics-OTS Canada wishes to develop an improved munition casing produced by Powder Metallurgy (PM). The term "improvement" regarding munitions can be defined by different qualifications. In the design process of new munitions, the prediction of the mass and velocity distributions of fragments plays a significant role to optimize the effects and the overall lethality of the munition. Some munition casings produce only a few fragments; however, these fragments have a larger hazardous perimeter resulting in higher collateral damage. For safety purposes, knowledge about fragmentation is essential in conducting risk management. The improvement that will be developed within the project consists of an enhanced fragmentation casing design and the study of a potential production method termed DPR-S, Direct Powder Rolling - Stamping.The selection of a consolidation technique that can i) yield the required mechanical properties, ii) be industrialized for commercialization and iii) reduce material waste is essential. Although different manufacturing methods can achieve the first, they are limited when it comes to scaling up to a profitable industrial production line. Direct Powder Rolling has already been commercialized for large scale production and has been used to produce metal sheets. The novelty of the process being studied is its hybrid nature, DPR-S. The "S" stands for the stamp forming. The microstructure of the DPR-S components plays a roll on the fragmentation behavior of the ammunition components. Therefore, metallurgical characterization will be performed to comprehend the casing state in key regions of the design. This information will be used to execute the fragmentation performance evaluation and better understand the fragmentation behavior. The project will be divided in four phases. - Set-up of pseudo-DPR-S equipment.- Processing of steel alloys by pseudo-DPR-S and sheets by roll-stamping.- Characterization of casings consolidated by pseudo-DPR-S and plates by roll-stamping.- Fragmentation performance evaluation.Regarding the impact of the project, the research and knowledge that will be gained will be applied as part of General Dynamics-OTS Can continued improvement initiative. Possibly achieving a new product that can be commercialized. For the CMQ, the DPR-S method will be developed and used in future projects.