Warhead with integral, direct-manufactured features
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Accused Products
Abstract
Warhead structures and features are fabricated using direct manufacturing technologies, a method for fabricating bulk warhead structures by sequential and additive deposition of melted feedstock layers. Suitable energy sources for melting the feedstock can be various high energy density technologies including laser, electron beam, plasma arc deposition, and the like. The high energy density in combination with high cooling rates results in structures with homogeneous microstructures. The feedstock can be in the form of wire or powder and is applied to a substrate by introduction to a molten pool on the substrate, accumulating to additively combine with the substrate. The approach provides for warhead structures with singular and combined unique features to include: integral constructions, tailored fragmentation patterns, use of dissimilar materials for special effects, and variable material property constructions for enhanced performance.
29 Citations
43 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A method of fabricating a warhead comprising:
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additively depositing a plurality of direct-manufactured metal layers of a selected metal type;
controlling positioning of the deposition of metal layers to build a structure of a selected geometry; and
varying at least one controlled variable structural parameters during deposition of the additively-deposited, direct-manufactured metal layers. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of fabricating a warhead comprising:
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additively depositing a plurality of direct-manufactured metal layers of a selected metal type;
controlling at least one variable structural parameters during deposition of the additively-deposited, direct-manufactured metal layers; and
forming the metal layers into an integral casing. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A method of fabricating a warhead comprising:
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additively depositing a plurality of direct-manufactured metal layers;
forming a casing set of metal layers into a casing;
forming a structural feature set of metal layers into a structural feature; and
integrally combining the casing and structural feature sets of metal layers. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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Specification