In the trenchesMaking combat vehicles lighter
The military spends several billion dollars each year on fuel consumption, which could be reduced by lessening the weight of ships, aircraft, ground vehicles, and cargo. Researchers have developed and successfully tested a novel process — called Friction Stir Dovetailing — that joins thick plates of aluminum to steel. The new process will be used to make lighter-weight military vehicles that are more agile and fuel efficient.
Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed and successfully tested a novel process — called Friction Stir Dovetailing — that joins thick plates of aluminum to steel. The new process will be used to make lighter-weight military vehicles that are more agile and fuel efficient.
The 15 April issue of Scripta Materialia describes the process in detail and the testing of joints created using the new technique. The peer-reviewed journal covers original research on the relationship between the structure and properties of materials.
Lightening the tank
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the military spends several billion dollars each year on fuel consumption, which could be reduced by lessening the weight of ships, aircraft, ground vehicles, and cargo.
To lower fuel costs and increase operational effectiveness while still maintaining the safety of military personnel, the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center — or TARDEC — launched a campaign in 2014 seeking ways to make combat systems — such as tanks, fighting vehicles, and personnel carriers — more lightweight. One approach they are investigating is the replacement of heavy steel components with thicker, yet lighter, aluminum. But aluminum and steel cannot be welded together due to vastly different melting points, so they sought a new process to join these materials.
