Fused Element Artillery Projectile Manufacture: Modularization and Decentralization Enhancement for Modern Warfare
OwnerEdward Kenneth Watsoninventor
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Abstract
A method for manufacturing artillery projectiles is disclosed, involving forging a steel base and welding it to a separately formed body using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding/Tungsten Inert Gas (GTAW/TIG) welding. This hybrid approach offers performance comparable to that of fully forged projectiles while reducing the need for large forging presses, thereby lowering production costs and enabling decentralized, scalable manufacturing with modular and mobile facilities. By forging only the base, the method simplifies production, enhances quality control, and increases resilience against supply chain disruptions.
Claims12
A method for manufacturing an artillery projectile with safety and performance properties equivalent to all-forged projectiles, comprising:
- a) forging a steel base from a heated High-Strength Low-Alloy (HSLA) steel billet in a closed-die press, the base having a convex impression on one side configured to withstand propellant pressures of at least 60,000 psi and a flat surface on the opposite side;
- b) forming a separate open-walled body using a method selected from forging, casting, additive manufacturing, or composite construction;
- c) welding the flat surface of the base to the body using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding/Tungsten Inert Gas (GTAW/TIG) with a filler material having a tensile strength equal to or exceeding that of the HSLA steel base material, achieving a joint strength greater than the base material's tensile strength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.