Materials facilities in NJ
11 facilities
Advanced Materials Characterization Laboratory
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
The Advanced Materials Characterization Laboratory performs materials failure analyses and corrosion analyses on ammunition and weapons in support of ARDEC, PEO Ammo Production Base, PM-Mortars, PM-MAS, PM-CAS, PM-OCSW, PM-LtWt, the Army Judge Advocate General (JAG), FBI, LANL, LLNL, and various defense contactors. Work requires quick turn-around time and technical responsiveness. A partial list of equipment used as follows:
Corrosion Testing Facility
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
The Corrosion Testing Facility is part of the Army Corrosion Office (ACO). It is a fully functional atmospheric exposure site, called the Corrosion Instrumented Test Yard (CITY), provides the ACO the capability to conduct long-term corrosion studies on Army related material in accordance with ASTM G50 "Standard Practice for Conducting Atmospheric Corrosion Tests on Metals" at Picatinny. In addition to the atmospheric exposure site, the ACO has electrochemical testing equipment that is capable of running numerous electrochemical tests in the laboratory as well as in the field. Further specialized equipment includes a cyclic corrosion chamber (for running ASTM B117 and GM 9540P tests), xenon arc chamber, gravel meter, contact angle meter, scratch tester, etc. Metallurgical facilities are also on-site to provide extensive corrosion failure analysis.
Energetic and Engineering Materials Lab
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
The Energetic and Engineering Materials Laboratory (EEML) acts as the principal materials consultant and liaison with RDECOM-ARDEC armaments development and engineering organizations in the materials technology areas of composite/energetic materials, thermoplastics/thermosets, adhesives/sealants, and lubricants. The laboratory seeks transition opportunities within the armaments community and other OGA's for basic research conducted by DOD, academia and industry.
Energetic Material Demonstration Module Facility
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
This facility is unique to DoD. New energetic materials which are synthesized in the laboratory on the scale of grams can be scaled up to 50-100 lb. quantities in order to optimize the process, provide material for further characterization in the laboratory and to provide experimental formulation of these new materials in explosives, propellants or pyrotechnics.
Energetic Material Reclamation/Processing R&D; Facility
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
These R&D; facilities are unique in their construction and equipment enabling the execution of numerous energetic material reclamation/processing programs. These programs include the reclamation of explosives for recycle/reuse; pink water treatment; high explosive loaded munition wash out; advanced explosive de-mil operations; explosive screening; and melt pour of castable explosives.
Lubricants Laboratory
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
This facility is capable of providing the following services: lubricity determination of oils, greases, and solid film lubricants; corrosion prevention; firing residue removal determinations; compatibility determinations, and, determination of physical properties of hydrocarbon products. Available equipment includes fales pin and vee block lubricant testers, four-ball wear lubricant tester, salt-spray chamber, humidity chambers, grease worker, penetrometer, flash point testers, high and low viscosity baths, cloud and pour point chambers, and an LFW-1 friction and wear tester.
Molten Salt Deposition Facility
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
The purpose of the refractory metals electrodeposition pilot plant is to coat large caliber gun tube liners and metals having a higher erosion and corrosion resistance than chromium. It has the ability to electrodeposite metals such as tantalum, niobium, molybdenum and tungsten. All of these metals have very high melting points compared to chromium. The facility is composed of a vacuum chamber, two very large electric furnaces, gas handling equipment, salts purification equipment, rectifiers, and computer monitoring and control apparatus.
Nitramine Drying & Fine Grinding Facility
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
The Nitramine Drying and Fine Grinding Facility provides TACOM-ARDEC with a state-of-the-art facility capable of drying and grinding high explosives (e.g., RDX and HMX) to support twin-screw extrusion studies, low vulnerability (LOVA) propellant, and, potential use in tank ammunition, and nitroguanidine (NQ) for use in the XM232 propelling charge loaded into the Modular Artillery Charge System (MACS). It is also available to support a broad spectrum of mission Research and Development including new propellant, explosive, and pyrotechnic formulation development, and insensitive munitions. It is capable of drying and grinding energetic materials and related raw materials up to 100 lbs per hour. The facility is currently undergoing inert operational testing
Powder Gymnasticator
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
The powder gymnasticator provides for the evaluation of large caliber experimental gun mounts and recoil mechanisms by subjecting the recoil mechanisms to the same impulse as the full-scale firing of the weapon. This is achieved by modifying the muzzle area of the gun tube to accept a 75mm breech assembly and chamber. The chamber is loaded with propellant and fired, simulating the recoil forces associated with a full-up live firing. This method is extremely cost effective; projectiles, and full-scale propellant charges are not needed. Additional environmental savings are realized through reduced noise levels. The powder gymnasticator can accept forces up to 2.5 million pounds. Instrumentation includes pressure vs. time, rod-pull gages, hydraulic pressure, stress/strain, and metal parts integrity.
Powder Metallurgy Facility
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
The facility is uniquely equipped as the only laboratory within DA to conduct PM processing of refractory metals and alloys as well as the processing of a wide range of ferrous and non-ferrous alloys. The capability includes a broad range of furnaces/temperatures. Its consolidation equipment includes uniaxial compaction presses (up to 500 tons) and isostatic presses for cold and hot operation. The facility also possesses mechanical alloying equipment, as well as a plasma powder processing and material characterization capability. Extensive processing is conducted at this facility on advanced tungsten alloys for kinetic energy penetrator applications.
Product Evaluation Laboratory
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
This laboratory offers the services of highly trained and experienced specialists that have a full complement of measuring equipment. It is equipped with two optical Comparators and a Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM). The lab specializes in various types of physical evaluations, including engineering evaluations, first article tests, product configuration audits and malfunction investigations. The CMM is a computer aided three axis machine that uses touch probes to perform measurements to 0.0001 inch. Reports can be computer generated and sent anywhere via e-mail.