1. CTMA Investment - $250K; Industry Cost Share - $500K
Spaceframes are the preferred body structure for military vehicles due to their light weight and strength. Cost and quality issues with conventional MIG and TiG joining methods for thin-walled components used in spaceframes have prevented their use.
Deformation Resistance Welding (DRW), a new solid state joining method that does not melt the materials to be joined reduces manufacturing cost by a factor of 10 while increasing dimensional accuracy, corrosion resistance, and weld cycle time.
Total vehicle weight reductions of 10% are achieved while improving survivability, cost, and versatility.
CTMA Investment - $250K; Industry Cost Share - $500K
Corrosion Resistant Solid State Thin-Walled Component Joining Novel solid state welding technique especially useful lightweighting ground vehicle platforms using spaceframe body architectures
DoD Benefits
Level 1 Benefits:
Allows the use of bolt-on non-structural armors that can be upgraded throughout the life of the vehicle.
Same vehicle structure can be easily reconfigured depending on mission and service requirements (canvas to Frag-7).
Dramatic fuel and maintenance savings can be realized when operating HMMWV at canvas level of protection (7,000 lbs gwv) in non-threat environments vs. Frag 7 (13,500 lbs.).
Provides HMMWV rollover protection in unarmored configuration.
Level 2/3 Benefits:
Widespread deployment of lightweighting spaceframes on both new and legacy ground weapon systems will produce weight savings of 10% and operational versatility while maintaining performance and safety.
Application by Armed Services:
CTMA Sponsored:
U. S. Marine Corps/ U.S. Army/TARDEC:
Design depot installed retrofit spaceframe component capable to support a FRAG 7 armor kit and blast shield for the M1151 HMMWV platform.
Modeling report of component/total vehicle performance under various loading conditions lbs weight savings utilizing improved frame design with FRAG 7 equivalent bolt on armor kit options.
Manufacturing tooling designed and fabricated for welding of physical sub-frame component using DRW method.
Test parts from prototype tooling demonstrating DRW welds that meet performance specifications