UEC / Creation blast seat sets new standards
The tests were conducted with a blast seat loaded to simulate a 95th percentile male soldier with full body armour, weighing 120kg. Data, including measurement of acceleration at the seat frame mounting points, as well as at the seat base and damper assembly interface, have been monitored and will be used to correlate further modelling, FEA structural analysis and future predictive engineering at escalating blast levels.
Universal Engineering (Charlestown) Projects Director, John Scott says, “During the evolution of our already highly acclaimed Ranger protected vehicle – for which Creation is our automotive design partner – we identified an urgent industry need to take a completely fresh look at seating accommodation. The result is a radical new blast seat, which sets new standards for occupant safety and survivability. It is now production ready and will be marketed by Universal Engineering. We have also created an engineering support capability with Creation, to assist with any design, installation engineering or associated requirements for other platforms and applications”.
Creation Engineering Director, Robin Hall says, “The dynamic behaviour of any protected platform during a blast will vary. Our task is to optimise all the elements in the blast management and mitigation process – including the seat – in order to reduce transmitted body shock and the risk of associated injuries”.
Creation UK Managing Director, Bill Davis says, “A huge amount of attention has been rightly devoted to the evolution of protected occupant cells for armoured vehicles. Our collaborative blast seat programme with Universal Engineering has now taken that a stage further by reassessing the actual seating arrangement within the vehicle. We have been able to further mitigate the risk of serious injury, particularly to the spine, by looking at how blast shock is transferred to the body through the seat structure.
“Creation has in-depth experience of specialist orthopaedic and osteopathic seat design through one of our businesses, Iliac Design. This new seat bucket has hydraulically damped and upwardly limited vertical free movement on its mounting frame to mitigate blast acceleration – a feature which we are calling ‘linear energy absorbing system’ (LEAS). The frame – not the seat bucket itself – is mounted to the side of the vehicle and there is no fastening or rigid fixture between the floor of the vehicle and the underside of the seat. In the event of a blast therefore, the seat will rise in a controlled ascent, mitigating any severe shock being transmitted to the spine through the seat structure”, says Bill Davis.
At the heart of the design are two captive vertical tubes to which the seat bucket is attached by linear bearings. Two high performance telescopic hydraulic dampers with concentric coil springs and a progressive elastomer buffer are installed between the mounting frame and the lower section of the seat bucket. The seat bucket itself is fabricated in two parts, to allow a soldier in full battle dress to sit firmly with a 4-point Securon harness for restraint.
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About Universal Engineering (Charlestown)
Universal Engineering (Charlestown) is a world class technology provider. It serves a cluster of highly specialised and safety critical niche market sectors including civil and military aviation, armoured land vehicles, sub-sea oil, gas and the nuclear industry. Originally formed in 1957 – and acquired by the Bland Group of Companies in October 2009 - its core business remains precision engineering.
It designs and manufactures a wide range of products - from individual parts through to complete assemblies and complex vehicle systems – and from fragile miniature components through to robust submersible units designed to survive and operate on the seabed for up to 25 years. The company prides itself on its flexibility, responsiveness and agility – and has invested in the very latest manufacturing technology in order to ensure competitiveness and capability.
Innovation is fundamental to UEC’s success and its new RANGER hybrid armoured vehicle exemplifies its attitude towards creativity, research and development. Designed and produced in just 12 months from the decision to commit private venture funding to the programme, the vehicle represents the next generation of mine resistant armour protected (MRAP) vehicles required to win on the 360° hybrid battlefield.
About Creation:
Creation is one of the UK’s leading independent vehicle design, development, engineering services and programme management specialists. Its current six clearly defined lines of business include its core automotive and vehicle design engineering activities; land systems and defence applications; component, prototype and low volume manufacture; materials handling and informatics.
The Creation Team brings together a group of highly experienced people, with complementary and cross-disciplined engineering and technological backgrounds – and proven track records at the leading edge of the fields in which they specialise. These complementary skills - and the company’s advanced engineering resources, combine to position Creation right at the forefront of its sector.
Creation serves a wide range of industries – and it has a particular niche specialisation in defence and armoured vehicle design. In addition to its own original designs, it has successfully delivered a number of major concept-up programmes for some of the world’s leading OE manufacturers.
Company Information
Universal Engineering (Charlestown) contacts for further information:Business Development Director:
Jeff Little
Universal Engineering Company (Charlestown) Limited
Telephone: +44 (0) 1305 783525
Mobile: +44 (0) 7545 519676
E-mail: jeff.little@universal-eng.com
Website: www.universalengineering.co.uk
Projects Director:
John Scott
Universal Engineering Company (Charlestown) Limited
Telephone: +44 (0) 1305 783525
Mobile: +44 (0) 7885 996639
E-mail: john.scott@universal-eng.com
Website: www.universalengineering.co.uk
Creation contacts for further information:
Media & Public Relations:
Adrian Graves
Adrian Graves Organisation Limited
Telephone: +44 (0) 1284 787438
Mobile: +44 (0) 7860 311858
E-mail: adriangraves@pressandpr.com
Website: www.adriangraves.org
Managing Director:
Bill Davis
Creation UK Limited
Telephone: +44 (0) 1256 765070
Mobile: +44 (0) 7785 350098
E-mail: info@creationteam.co.uk
Website: www.creationteam.co.uk
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