AGY Announces the Addition of a New Composite Armour Solution for the European Market
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LYON, FRANCE - (January 27, 2008) - AGY announces the addition of an innovative ballistic and blast protection solution called the ThermoBallistic* armour system in response to the increased demand for composite armour solutions that are fueling defense spending and military development programs around the world.
Targeted for the European market, the ThermoBallistic armour system laminates combine continuous structural S-2 Glass®, E Glass, or aramid fibres to form X-ply sheets or UD tapes that can be subsequently moulded to create end-user ballistic and blast protection solutions such as armoured vehicle spall liners and BAI plates, where the low areal density and thermoformability of the solution will provide significant benefit to users. "A spall liner can reduce the amount and limit the path of the lethal particles that penetrate the vehicle's hull when the armour is penetrated," explains Drew Walker, AGY Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
"Given the increasing power and lethality of roadside bombs in the Middle East conflicts," said Walker, "Manufacturers are concentrating their efforts on upgrading the armour on military vehicles, which are a prime target for improvised explosives and roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. This has led to an urgent demand for materials that provide increased performance and lighter weight."
A key feature of the composite system is the potential to combine with other thermoplastic matrix prepregs to provide hybridized system solutions with synergistic performance in terms of structural ballistic performance. It offers a number of benefits including excellent energy management properties at low areal density, beneficial manufacturing and processing parameters, including secondary thermoformability and reduced moulding times. The system also exhibits excellent corrosion and water resistance.
To meet the urgent need for upgrading military vehicle armour, AGY has increased production capacity of its S-2 Glass fiber reinforcements by fifty percent with the capability of expanding even further in a rapid fashion. "With this significant increase in output, we are confident in our ability to stay ahead of the needs of the market for S-2 Glass reinforcements," added Walker.
About AGY
AGY is a leading global producer of fiberglass yarns and high-strength fiberglass reinforcements used in a variety of composites applications. The company serves a diverse range of markets including aerospace and defense, electronics, construction and industrial. Headquartered in Aiken, South Carolina USA, AGY has a European office in Lyon, France and manufacturing facilities in the U.S. in Aiken, South Carolina and Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Additional information may be found at the company's website, www.agy.com or by email at info@agy.com.
For more information about the new ThermoBallistic armour system, please call +33-4-7278-1777, or visit our website at www.agy.com.
