Summary of Studies Performed on Experimental Accelerated Cooled/Direct Quenched Plate Steels for Armor Applications as Part of the Title III Program of the Defense Production Act.

摘要

In an effort to minimize the welding preheat required during armored vehicle manufacture, low-carbon accelerated cooled/direct quenched (AC/DQ) steels are being studied as possible alternatives to the currently specified and used rolled homogeneous armor (RHA). Low-C steels produced by Nippon Steel Corporation and Kawasaki Steel Company (both of Japan) using AC/DQ technology have been compared, on a limited basis, to the MIL-A-12560 specification and to typical RHA provided to the U.S. Army by one supplier. Japanese material was evaluated because the AC/DQ technology is used in Japanese steel mills. If the technology proves to be useful, it could be transferred to U.S. steel mills under the Title III program. Low-C steels produced by Bethlehem Steel Corporation (in the U.S.A.), using a laboratory AC/DQ mill, were also compared to the MIL-A-12560 specification and to RHA which is supplied to the U.S. Army by one supplier. None of the steel samples that were tested performed as well as does the RHA which is currently being supplied to the Army. Overall, the experimental steels did not perform as well as RHA, which is currently being supplied to the Army. It is difficult, on the basis of the limited sample used in this study, to assess the effects of lower carbon content and of AC/DQ processing. (SDW)