Enhanced Environmental Performance for Safety Glass – Phase II
Enhanced Environmental Performance for Safety Glass – Phase II
NCMS Project #: 140832
Problem: Delamination is a second major contributor to maintenance costs. A recent inspection of M/ATV pending RESET at Red River Army Depot revealed that 238 of 243 were found to have some degree of window clouding, which is an indicator of delamination damage.
Benefit: The technology being developed under this project will have significant benefits for the entire commercial safety glass market. The most common failure mechanisms for glass laminate safety glass are delamination and degradation of the external sacrificial layer. The project will address both with the result being more reliably performing glass laminates with easier field replacement of the sacrificial layer. The lessons learned will better equip commercial industry to produce high-quality glass laminate safety glass at an affordable price.
Solution/Approach: Ongoing Phase I efforts are focused on the rock strike problem and investigate the contribution of lamination process parameters to the delamination problem. Phase II will further address the delamination problem. The objective of Phase II is to identify the primary mechanisms of safety glass damage from delamination and to develop mitigation strategies. The project team will investigate the effect of heating elements, the use of heat rejection coatings, and different laminate materials. Lessons learned will be applied, producing representative transparent armor solutions for two families of Army tactical vehicles.
Impact on Warfighter:
- Reducing logistics footprint
- Reducing maintenance costs and repair times
DoD Participation:
- S. Army TARDEC
- S. Marine Corps – Albany
Industry Participation:
- PPG Industries, Inc.
- Frisco, TX SWAT Team (observer)
- Haynes-NCMS
Technology Focus Area(s):
- Cost Savings
- Maintenance Avoidance and Reliability
- Safety
- Improved Readiness