AN INTEGRATED AUTOMATIC MEASURING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL BALLISTICS TESTING

An automatic test equipment (ATE) system is described which fully automates ballistics testing. High-speed phenomena are digitized, stored, calibrated, displayed, and plotted by a waveform recorder and low-cost computer. The system concepts are general-purpose and have also been applied to a wide range of fast measurements covering small arms testing, fracture mechanics, and impact studies. A system description is given, with emphasis on dynamic pressure calibration, the transient waveform recorder, the sequencing unit, and the data processing computer. An actual plot of the test results is presented.