Ruggedized Machine Vision System
Technical Information
- Integrated camera and diode laser sensor package
- Closed loop heating and cooling system for sensor package
- Automated system designed to be deployed in the barrel of a mobile Howitzer
- Hardened for extreme shock and vibration with sensor compensation
- Sealed against Nuclear/Chemical/Biological agents
The military Bore Hazard Sensor is an automated system which inspects the barrel of a tracked vehicle’s primary weapon for debris prior to firing. It sensor packaging must be able to operate under extreme circumstances and offer accurate results to a vital function of a line of military hardware. The sensor must be able to withstand the terrific material strain of being mounted on the barrel of a mobile cannon. It is also designed to be an enclosed system for heating and cooling as temperature changes on a gun barrel may result in poor performance or other mishaps.
PPI was approached to find a solution to each one of these unique design challenges. Engineers were set to work in materials and shape analysis in order to find a configuration that could meet every specification. By making working models through a procedure known as Selective Laser Sintering where a model is made in hours out of melted metal dust, PPI was able to test and analyze design concepts in mere days. With staff specializing in many different branches of science and engineering, a final design was reached and approved within a period of eighteen months.
By sweeping the interior of the armored vehicle’s gun barrel with photographic and laser sensors, the Bore Hazard Sensor is able to detect and inform a vehicle’s crew of any problems. The sensor is encased in a durable and fully sealed metal chassis that is also tested and speced out to stringent federal guidelines. The target values for cooling, shock resistance and performance have been reached and allowed the Bore Hazard Sensor to be produced and installed on military hardware such as treaded Armored Fighting Vehicles.
The successful development of the Bore Hazard Sensor allows for an improvement in the performance of all military vehicles it is installed into. Better primary weapon accuracy and maintenance allows for successful operations. The net result is the increased survivability and safety of U.S. troops. Furthermore, the innovations required to meet the rigorous federal specifications have created technical concepts and ideas that can be applied to other systems. Efficient heat dissipation and shock resistance will make for durable and high quality consumer electronics. New techniques in fiber optic packaging can miniaturize and further refine future sensors and telecommunications devices.
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