THE RESISTANCE OF FIBER-REINFORCED 3D PRINTED STABPROOF ARMOR ELEMENTS: MATERIALS, GEOMETRIES, DIMENSION AND ORIENTATION

The majorities of stab protective armors limit several comfort parameters such as locomotion, movement, respiration, flexibility and weight which determine the efficient use by officers. Lightweight and effective protection with the necessary comfort parameters such as flexibility, respiration and free locomotion through the development of three dimensional printed (3DP) scales based on natural armors from fibers using continuous filament fabrication is the main objective of this research. In this study, stab protective armor scale-like elements with different materials, shapes, sizes and portions of a part investigated against stabbing force. Onyx, Aramid, carbon and different ratio Onyx/Kevlar by inserting fiber at different fiber filling angles (0/45/90/135)N were used in this investigation. The specimens were tested according to VPAM KDIW 2004. The result revealed that the scales with Onyx, Kevlar/Onyx and Kevlar fiber-reinforced protective scales failed while the carbon fiber resists the puncturing energy level K1 (25 J) with the penetration depth less than the maximum allowable penetration depth of the knife through the protectors. The large size protective elements and rectangular geometries withstand the impact energy relative to triangular geometries. The result revealed that the material type, its alignment, size and shapes of protection elements and portions of the scales where the weight dropped significantly influence the resistance against the impact energy to puncture with the intended energy level and sharp tipped knife.