A consortium of researchers from Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), the University of Sheffield (UoS), BAE Systems, MBDA, Transition International and the Advanced Forming Research Center (AFRC) are attempting to develop a path for processing low-cost titanium for use across the land, maritime and air defense sectors.

Under the Affordable Titanium to Useable Defense Equipment (ATiTUDE) program, the consortium has used the FCT HP D 250 (FAST/SPS) followed by the FENN Hot Rolling Mill in Phase 2 — both of which are located at the Royce Discovery Center at the University of Sheffield — to manufacture armor plate for ballistic protection in land-based applications.

Source: University of Sheffield

Although most land-based military vehicles feature rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) or high hardness steel (HHS) armors, which are largely cheaper than titanium, the consortium explained that titanium alloys demonstrate a high mass efficiency compared to RHA and can consequently offer a 30% to 40% weight reduction while simultaneously maintaining survivability.

As such, the team has developed a powder metallurgy process for the production of titanium alloys that promises to eliminate several thermo-mechanical processing steps — particularly if combined with an inexpensive feedstock like oversized Ti powder or machining swarf, for instance.

The researchers reportedly performed ballistic testing of Ti-64 armor plate, which was manufactured from a combination of both low-cost powder and swarf via the so-called FAST process. According to the researchers, the armor plate produced using this process reportedly meets the MIL-Spec V50 ballistic limit requirement against a given threat.

The article detailing their findings, “Effect of processing route on ballistic performance of Ti-6Al-4V armour plate,” appears in the journal Materials Science and Technology.