DMTC is delighted to announce that it has won the CRC Award for Excellence in Innovation 2015 for its work on Boron Carbide Ceramic Armour Technology. The award was presented to DMTC’s CEO Dr Mark Hodge by Minister Ian MacFarlane as part of the Cooperative Research Centres Association conference held in Canberra in May. The award recognises the work undertaken in developing armour using boron carbide; a material which offers superior performance-to-weight over other armour materials, yet it is difficult to manufacture. The project successfully developed a unique process that allows for near-net shaping of thin, highly shaped, curved ceramic elements. For the first time, the ADF has the capability to incorporate the high ballistic resistance of boron carbide into components previously thought to be only suitable for manufacture from alternative materials which do not offer the same degree of ballistic protection for a given weight, such as tailoring for specific body shapes, including for front line female combatants. A key component of the award criteria was research and industry collaboration. The DMTC was ideally positioned to bring together defence, academic and industry stakeholders essential to this project. A collaborative team was assembled comprising Defence partners; DSTO and the Army’s Diggerworks Program, industry partners; Australian Defence Apparel and BMT and research partners; CSIRO, VCAMM, The University of Melbourne and Swinburne University of Technology. The team reflected the benefits of multiparty collaboration with each partner contributing unique but critical elements required to achieve the outcome.

©Miles Kenyon
Translated by CERADIR® Team