Machine Design
  • Resources
  • Members
  • Directory
  • Webinars
  • WISE
  • CAD Models
  • Advertise
    • Search
  • 3D Printing & CAD
  • AUTOMATION & IIOT
  • Robotics
  • Motion Systems
  • Materials
  • Video
  • Data Sheets
  • Topics
    Industry Markets3D Printing & CADAutomation & IIoTFastening & JoiningMaterialsMechanical & Motion Systems Medical DesignRobotics
    Resources
    Machine Design ResourcesWISE (Workers in Science & Engineering)Company DirectorySearch Data SheetsContributeDigital Edition ArchivesCSIA Exchange
    Members
    ContentBenefitsSubscribe
    Advertise
    https://www.facebook.com/MachineDesignMagazine/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/10998894
    https://twitter.com/MachineDesign
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXKEiQ9dob20rIqTA7ONfJg
    Machinedesign 6589 Ceramic Windows 0
    1. Materials

    Navy Develops Tougher, See-Through Ceramic Armor

    Sept. 9, 2014
    Besides being transparent, the new armored windows would have a lower radar signature than currently used materials.

    Engineers at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have used nanotechnology to increase the toughness of the transparent spinel armor it currently uses on optics, sensors, and windows on ships and other vehicles. The new nanocrystalline spinel is made of the same materials, magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4), but the grain size has been reduced to 28 nm.

    Nanocrystalline spinel windows could be used on the Navy’s new Zumwalt Class of destroyers, like the USS Zumwalt pictured above. 

    The NRL team created the windows by sintering nanopowders under high pressures. Pressure breaks down the powders into smaller particles, slows them from diffusing out of the mixture, and pushes them closer together to reduce porosity in the final material. The new armor is tougher than the spinel currently used, so it can be made thinner, resulting in a cost and weight savings.

    Researchers are now working to make even tougher versions of the new armor, hoping to replace the sapphire windows used in military vehicles. Sapphire windows are much more expensive to produce.

    The NRL-developed armor is also highly transparent, so it could also be used in UV, visible, and IR optics, which should simplify design requirements. There are potential civilian uses for the see-through material in smartphones and tablets screens, windows for homes and offices, and space vehicles, including extraterrestrial rovers.

    Continue Reading

    A Technology Upgrade for Trucking Chicken Lights

    A Beginner’s Guide to Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA)

    Sponsored Recommendations

    Smart Factory Solutions that Connect and Protect from Amphenol RF

    Nov. 28, 2023

    Stay Connected and In Control of Your Future Factories with Littelfuse

    Nov. 28, 2023

    Turn to NKK Switches for the Widest Range of Industrial-Savvy Electromechanical Switches

    Nov. 28, 2023

    Unlocking Operational Flexibility in Manufacturing with Industria IoT

    Nov. 28, 2023

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!

    I already have an account

    New

    5 For Friday: Salary Survey Optimism; A New (and Important) Acronym; and Ways to Unleash the Potential of Design

    Formlabs Introduces Fuse Blast for Automated SLS Post-Processing

    Universal Robots Unveils UR30: Relief for Heavy Lifting

    Most Read

    How Much Should a Bolted Joint be Tightened?

    Keeping Enclosures Cool

    Brushed vs Brushless Motors: Which is Best for your Application?

    Sponsored

    Molex: Enabling Industry 4.0 on the Factory Floor

    communication, predictive maintenance, and safety.

    Unlocking Operational Flexibility in Manufacturing with Industria IoT

    Machine Design
    https://www.facebook.com/MachineDesignMagazine/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/10998894
    https://twitter.com/MachineDesign
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXKEiQ9dob20rIqTA7ONfJg
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Do Not Sell or Share
    • Privacy & Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    © 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
    Endeavor Business Media Logo