ADAPTING EXPERIMENTATION AND TESTING
of viable cannon configurations that could improve ignition of the propelling charge. Te team chose several of these configu- rations for testing in the ballistic simulator to provide data for the model validation process. Te team used this data to update the models.
Validation is the key to any modeling effort.
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER At this point of the project, the team was in place, the tools were created and validated and there were thousands of differ- ent cannon configurations to potentially improve ignition to be evaluated.
Te next step in this process was to use the surrogate model to navigate through all the cannon design configurations. Te team filtered the cannon configurations using the value functions that consider other factors that are important to the design of cannon artillery. Tis includes projectile muzzle velocity, cannon chamber pressure limits and manufacturing capability. Once all these other factors were included, the team was able to success- fully down-select to a single cannon configuration that will improve ignition. A complete cannon is being manufactured to this configuration and is scheduled to be live-fire tested late in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 as the final validation of the team’s efforts.
CONCLUSION In addition to developing a new cannon chamber to improve igni- tion, this project brought together a technically diverse team to develop a novel DSDT for a collaborative design of the cannon- propelling charge interface, while keeping focus on the system aspect. Te tools and processes developed allow team members to conduct numerous analyses, as required, without the need for timely and costly live-fire testing. Te team can use these model- ing and simulation tools to develop whole cannon and propelling charge systems jointly or even assess the interaction of either developmental propelling charges in an existing cannon or a developmental cannon with existing propelling charge systems.
One major potential application of the DSDT can be applied to the conflict in Eastern Europe. Tis tool can provide an
https://asc.ar my.mil 83 SIMULATOR IGNITION
Screen shots from a high-speed video shows ignition in a ballistic simulator during a test event in November 2023 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. The ballistic simulator is a test apparatus that ignites propellant in a clear tube to facilitate visual analysis. (Image by Peter Harvey, PD TAS)
assessment of interoperability among the many different artil- lery cannons and propellant system combinations currently seen. Not knowing how these systems interface can lead to catastrophic results. Tis is also a major benefit to the U.S. Army as it can all be completed without the extra cost and scheduling implications of traditional prototyping and live-fire development procedures.
For more information, contact the author at
peter.j.harvey.civ@
army.mil.
PETER HARVEY is a program management engineer with PD TAS at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering technology from the State University of New York at Alfred. He is a DAWIA certified Practitioner in engineering and technical management.
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