Structural Integrity of Metallic Armature Rail Guns.

Abstract

The design of a rail system for an electromagnetic gun becomes more complicated when the transfer from a laboratory to a tactical system is considered. In the laboratory, weight and volume are not important and the system must be bolted together in order to be disassembled for study, modification, and repair. The tactical system must be of reasonable weight and volume, self supporting, safe to use, have a long life, and be factory assembled. This set of design requirements must be reconciled with the function as a projectile guide and an electrical conductor. The first crude prototype 'barrel' must be manufactured from available materials which do not have the optimum properties. The design then becomes a series of compromises which are performed in the hope of a successful result. Keywords: Rail gun, Electromagnetic, Launcher, Composite, Structure.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1987
Accession Number
ADA188735

Entities

People

  • G. P. O'hara
  • M. Cascio

Organizations

  • United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Classification
  • Composite Materials
  • Electrical Conductivity
  • Electromagnetic Guns
  • Engineering
  • Epoxy Composites
  • Fibers
  • Geometry
  • Graphitic Materials
  • Guns
  • Laminates
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Mechanics
  • Military Research
  • Security
  • Structural Integrity

Readers

  • Software Engineering
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • ballistics.