Additive Manufacturing of Ballistic Protection Composites– PROTECT
PROTECT is a research project dedicated to developing innovative sandwich structures, created through advanced Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies and high-performance composite materials, with direct applicability in the ballistic protection of light armored vehicles and aircraft.
The project explores the use of metallic lattice structures—three-dimensional periodic architectures achievable exclusively through additive manufacturing—to create an ultra-lightweight yet highly efficient core capable of dissipating impact energy. These metallic cores will be combined with composite faces reinforced with aramid fibers, forming structurally optimized sandwich panels with a performance-to-weight ratio superior to conventional systems.
Contract: 126PED/2025
PN-IV-P7-7.1-PED-2024-0508
Total amount requested from the state budget: 746.162,00 lei
Total co-financing amount: 105.000,00 lei
Project Vision
In a context where ballistic protection must deliver increasingly higher performance without adding extra mass to the platform, PROTECT proposes an integrated approach. Metallic lattice geometries (aluminum and titanium), designed for controlled deformation, energy absorption, and optimized stiffness, are combined with lightweight composite faces made from aramid fabrics, used alone or in hybrid configurations, impregnated with high-performance epoxy resins. Optimizing the total mass of the sandwich structure remains a crucial factor in designing protection materials intended for air or ground mobility.
Through additive manufacturing, the project can generate structures that cannot be produced by conventional methods—metallic panels with internal architectures precisely tailored for targeted ballistic performance.
Project Objectives
The project aims to develop metallic lattice structures made of Al and Ti, topologically optimized for energy absorption, and to create lightweight composite faces based on aramid fibers. These components will be integrated into a sandwich configuration with superior performance compared to traditional materials. The project also focuses on optimizing AM processes and post-processing treatments (microstructure, hardness, toughness), developing advanced simulation and testing methods for static, dynamic, impact, and ballistic loading, and manufacturing two demonstrators (400 × 400 mm): one featuring an aluminum core and one featuring a titanium core. The final step includes validating their performance through low-speed impact and ballistic testing.
Team and Expertise
The project brings together two entities with substantial expertise:
INCAS contributes specialist knowledge in advanced materials, additive manufacturing, FEM analysis, composite processing, mechanical testing, and unique research infrastructure (MetalFAB G2, FEM centers, dedicated laboratories).
STIMPEX provides extensive experience in protection systems for military equipment, ballistic testing, and the development of systems designed for protection against explosives and CBRN agents.
The team includes researchers and technicians specialized in additive manufacturing, dynamic analysis, polymer composites, NDT, post-processing treatments, ballistic testing, and impact evaluation.
Dissemination and Collaboration
The results of PROTECT will be disseminated through Q1/Q2 scientific articles, participation in national and international conferences, an international workshop dedicated to the new generation of armor systems, and responsible public communication through the website, social media, and public events.
Conclusion
PROTECT represents a strategic initiative aimed at developing advanced solutions for ballistic protection, at the intersection of materials science, additive manufacturing, and composite technologies. Its integrated approach—from topological optimization to the testing of full-scale demonstrators—ensures the creation of innovative sandwich panels with high potential for application in the defense and aerospace industries.