Ceramic Armor

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T.Q. Abrasive Machining - Ceramic Armor

Ceramic machining since 1980. Machined ceramic insulators, components and parts for semiconductor, aerospace, medical computer, nuclear components, wear components such as ceramic armor, ceramic seals with precision close tolerances. Drilling, grinding, sandblasting and other applications. The advantages of our quality ceramic armor include low weight, hardness and high temperature resistance.

http://www.tqabrasivemachining.com | Email This Company | Phone: 714-972-2047

3338 W. Castor Street Santa Ana, California 92704

Ceradyne, Inc. Ceramic Armor

Ceradyne is a vertically integrated manufacturer of lightweight, ceramic composite armor systems for personnel, vehicle, maritime vessel, helicopter and fixed wing applications. With state-of-the-art materials and innovative designs, Ceradyne also produces products for the most demanding applications in automotive, industrial wear, medical, nuclear power, electronic and defense industries.

http://www.ceradyne.com/products/armor/armor-systems.aspx | Email This Company | Phone: 800-839-2189

3169 Red Hill Avenue Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Industry Information

Ceramic Armor

Ceramic armor is an extremely hard nonmetal body having good fracture toughness, extreme wear and corrosion resistance and a high capacity to absorb ballistic impacts. Ceramic armor is made from technical ceramics, also known as engineering ceramics, or advanced ceramics. Advanced ceramics have distinctive characteristics such as low friction, special electrical properties and light-weight and are high performance ceramic parts used in aerospace, nuclear power, bio-medical, military, defense and automotive industries for applications which require exceptional heat resistance or insulation. These applications may include helicopter armoring, small boat armor, aircraft cockpit armor, police armor, armored wing panels, ceramic body armor, deep water vessel armor and vehicle armoring systems. Since ceramics are five times strong than steel as well as being 70% lighter, ceramic armor has better protective capabilities as well as fewer difficulties in being worn during combat because it will do less to fatigue the wearer than heavier materials. In addition, ceramic armor can protect the wearer or object from ball and armor piercing threats from a typical range of 5.56 to 12.7 mm.

Ceramic armor is commonly made from three different strong synthetic materials: aluminum oxides, boron carbides, silicon carbides. Aluminum oxides are high-density and have extremely high-volume, multi-facility production capacities. Boron carbides are the highest strength as well as the lightest-weight and lowest density. Silicon carbides have high strength in addition to low density and high shock resistance. Ceramic armor falls into two categories: ceramic body armor and ceramic armor plates. Both are formed during the same initial process. Raw ceramic materials come in the form of a powder, but a liquid additive such as water is often used before processing. In order to form ceramic armor plates, the liquid material is hot-pressed in a ceramic kiln at 4000ºF. The ceramic material is then formed into desired shapes known as greenware, which are then placed in an extremely high heat oven and sintered. This process forms ceramic plate armor, which can then be used on its own or it can be inserted into a soft ballistic vest, or a backing, and made into ceramic body armor. The backing can be made from polypropylene or aramid and keeps the ceramic in compression as well as catching any potential projectile fragments. The ceramic plates or inserts are so hard that they either blunt the nose of the projectile or break it. Ceramic armor cracks upon impact, which dissipates the kinetic force of the projectile from the individual and stops injury. However, the cracking of the armor is also a disadvantage because each crack works to weaken the armor.