D. Harper & 3-D Printing for Stryker slat armor...?

[Havoc]

Heya, Dave,

Far be it from me to distract you from my favorite modelling arena: All Things Pacific... But, have you considered the new 3-D printing technology for the possibility of doing the slat armor package for the myriad of upcoming Stryker kits................?

Building this out of photoetch seems like it could be a real nightmare...and as some have pointed out, pretty flimsy, too!

What do you think...? I say we wake Mike Armstrong up, get some coffee in the mad scientist and let's bust it out! Of course I know we gotta wait for the actual Stryker kits to come out... :)

Just getting it in early, Dave! Can't wait for my Sherman cages to arrive!!

You guys are blowing our minds on a regular basis!!! Keep 'em coming, Dave!!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.

[gordy]

Post a pic i'm curious to what this part is :)

(Johnny I moved yor thread over here to the "Idea Factory")

[dharper]

It's a definite possibility!

[gordy]

someone post a pic!!

[tamigawa]

Here ya go Gordy. ;)

http://www.defense-update.com/images/strykercage.jpg

[gordy]

gulp!

wow, is that to keep the bad guys out or the good guys in!!

[tamigawa]

not sure ;) Here's an explanation:

(Copyright: http://www.defense-update.com/products/s/slat-stryker.htm )


The interim slat armor solution forms a metal frame barrier 50 cm ahead of the APC. The cage detonate anti-tank shaped charge warheads such as RPG away from the vehicle and prevent its hot chemical reaction from boring through and causing burns, shock and shrapnel wounds. General Dynamics, the Stryker manufacturer, is also developing an add-on plate armor that will defeat RPGs, planned for deployment by 2005. The slat armor weighs about 5,200 pounds, about 3,000 pounds lighter than the add-on anti-RPG add-on armor plates. The idea behind the cage armor goes back to World War II and Vietnam. Troops in that war improvised with chicken wire and other means to counter the RPG threat.
In Iraq, Slat armor proved quite successful in defeating attacks of High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) of Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPGs). This type of armor is not effective Attacks by high explosive and fragmentation RPG rounds which explode before they hit the cage. In one mission, a Stryker vehicle, with slat armor, was attacked and hit with nine RPGs. The locations of the hits on the vehicle were sporadic. The crew escaped with minor injuries and the vehicle moved under its own power to the nearest operating base for assessment and repair. To improving protection for exposed crews, some units have built a wooden platform over the ramp to hold sand bags to protect the rear hatch. ammunition cans filled with sand were located around the gunners hatch.

While Slat armor does not significantly impact Stryker handling, off or on roads, during the dry season, the additional weight significantly impacts the handling and performance during the rainy season. The additional weight of the slat armor was not accounted for in the design of the Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS). The heavy oversized cage causes multiple problems for safe and effective operation of the vehicle. Slat armor was initially deployed with US Army Stryker AFVs operating in Iraq. The British Army deployed similar protection to augment the armor of the Warrior AIFV. Similar modifications were performed on Australian Light Armored Vehicles.

[lquah]

That would look cool but I suspect it's not going to be cheap. Thanks for the background info Fletch.

Lawrence

[tamigawa]

sure ;)

[gordy]

Thanks for the reply Fletcher :thumb:

[Havoc]

Indeed, thanks for posting the image, Fletch! Been running ragged between work and a (13) month old son...

Yeah, it's a cool looking set up -- the slat armor package looks like something out of "The Road Warrior"!

True, this could be an expensive purchase, but it would take the model to the next level. I believe that the Accurate Armour aftermarket armor set is pretty expensive...

Anyway, I was just throwing it out there as I think 3-D printing would be the way to go --- building this out of photo etch would not only be messy, but probably pretty wobbly, too. Your dog sneezes on your model and there goes all of your hard work... Dave's process would probably yield several large assembles, which would hopefully be stronger than a photo etch-type deal.

I guess we'll all have to wait to see if any of the three companies releasing Strykers will attempt this!

Much Aloha,

Johnny B.