cast tank turrets

goose

goose

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A couple of questions that have occurred to me while watching a programs on You Tube. Gas turbine blades are now made from a single crystal of metal. It is done through the careful control of how the blade is cooled after casting. The single crystal blade is much stronger than a normal metal blade could be. Could this method be scaled up to produce a tank turret and/or hull? If it could then the armor would be immensely strong, today it could make the vehicle very resistant to IEDs, I am not sure how it would stand up to APFSDS rounds but could form the main structure and Dorchester type armor added where needed.
My second question is about super bainite steel. This is very tough steel that gets its strength from the crystals being much smaller than in regular steel (opposite to single crystal!) It is used in bearings, high wear applications and also armor. It cannot be wealded so cannot be used to make an armored vehicles structure unless we go back to rivets ( no thanks-they are a hazard as they shear off when hit and become a lethal projectile). This steel is relatively cheap as the structure is formed by control of the cooling process (modest temperatures over extended time). My question is again can a large casting be made into super bainite steel? This would again make a very strong hull/turret and eliminate the objection to casting armor that the steel in a casting is weaker the RHA by 15%
If you can enlighten me than I welcome your input. Thanks for reading.
 
Single-crystal fan blades aren't stronger, they're actually weaker in terms of simple tensile strength. They are less subject to thermal creep, though, which means they can operate at higher temperatures and have longer working lives.
 
goose said:
A couple of questions that have occurred to me while watching a programs on You Tube. Gas turbine blades are now made from a single crystal of metal. It is done through the careful control of how the blade is cooled after casting. The single crystal blade is much stronger than a normal metal blade could be. Could this method be scaled up to produce a tank turret and/or hull? If it could then the armor would be immensely strong, today it could make the vehicle very resistant to IEDs, I am not sure how it would stand up to APFSDS rounds but could form the main structure and Dorchester type armor added where needed.
My second question is about super bainite steel. This is very tough steel that gets its strength from the crystals being much smaller than in regular steel (opposite to single crystal!) It is used in bearings, high wear applications and also armor. It cannot be wealded so cannot be used to make an armored vehicles structure unless we go back to rivets ( no thanks-they are a hazard as they shear off when hit and become a lethal projectile). This steel is relatively cheap as the structure is formed by control of the cooling process (modest temperatures over extended time). My question is again can a large casting be made into super bainite steel? This would again make a very strong hull/turret and eliminate the objection to casting armor that the steel in a casting is weaker the RHA by 15%
If you can enlighten me than I welcome your input. Thanks for reading.
Click to expand...

Super Bainite require a moderately fast and very controlled quench to achieve it's properties, thus it is made in long sheets in a continuous process. I don't think that is all that achievable in a large cast 3D form. That said, they have improved the welding methods to better than half strength. If you can manage a form using only flat plates and can align the weld boundaries well, I suppose it wouldn't be bad as an outer layer of a composite armor, provided you can accept the welds will crack.
 

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