Original Date: 04/07/1997
Revision Date: 04/14/2003

(equipment: Intel PC Based test feedback system)
Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) has successfully used simulation techniques for production testing of large caliber gun mounts and recoil mechanisms. Currently, all large caliber gun mounts and recoil mechanisms manufactured at RIA, with the exception of the M1A1 gun mount, are proof accepted by means of simulation. These simulation methods have proven track records of accomplishing their goals and actually stress the gun mounts to higher levels than live firing.

Approximately 5,000 gun mounts/recoil mechanisms have been acceptance-tested to date. Hydraulic simulation is one of the techniques which is capable of imposing an operational environment that will reproduce critical recoil performance characteristics necessary to assure the structural and manufacturing integrity of a production item. Critical parameters, such as peak operating pressures, maximum velocity of recoiling parts, peak accelerations, and maximum loading on critically stressed or safety related components can be achieved, which represent any level of live-fire loading desired.

Many benefits are realized by the use of Hydraulic Simulation, including a 22% to 33% cost reduction of live fire costs for production acceptance testing; 8% to 30% cost reduction of live fire costs for durability testing; and 10% to 30% cost reduction of live fire costs for R&D testing. Cycle time reductions are realized due to the fact that there are no range or weather delays, and no ammunition or security precautions are required. These and many other benefits arise from utilizing these test methods.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.