Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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CONTENTS
• PREFACE
• EXPLOSIVE TRAIN OF ARTILLERY AMMUNITION
• INTRODUCTION
• GENERAL REQUIREMENT OF FUZE
• VARIOUS SAFETY DEVICES IN FUZE
• FUZE CLASSIFICATION
• GENERAL CONSTRUCTION
• INITIATION PART
• MIDDLE MECHANISM
• MAGAZINE PART
• SAFETY IN FUZES
• FUNCTIONAL ASSURANCE OF THE FUZE
• FAILURE OF THE FUZES
• A LIST OF FUZES MANUFACTURED/USED BY ORDNANCE FACTORIES IS APPEN
• FUZES AT OF KHAMARIA UNDER PRODUCTION
• FUZES AT OF KHAMARIA UNDER R&D
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PREFACE
While doing Newton’s thinking & Marathon
efforts for production of fuze “Brain of the
ammunition”, we normally forget that one big
hole is sufficient in the cat’s house for
mother cat & child cat. The same situation
happens during fuze production sometimes.
Every scientist / officers/staff starts their
thinking with Einstein's solution and
generally forgets the basic of the start.
CONTENTS 3
EXPLOSIVE TRAIN OF ARTILLERY AMMUNITION
FUZE
BURSTING
CHARGE
EXPLOSIVE
BURSTING CHARGE SHELL
TRAIN
(UPON IMPACT)
CONTENTS 5
General requirement of fuze
• 1. It must have a body to contain.
• 2. A striker to function the detonator.
• 3. A detonator.
• 4. Good streamlined shape.
• 5. Proper shape for ballistics efficiency.
• 6. Must have enough strength to withstand the
various forces acting on the the fuze.
CONTENTS 6
General requirement of fuze
• 7. It must be air-tight.
• 8. On long storage the explosive content should
not get deteriorated.
CONTENTS 7
Metals used in the manufacture of
fuzes
• 1. The bulk of material is non-ferrous. The
various forms of brass (Copper Zinc alloys) are
most widely used. The advantage are :-
b) Do not corrode easily.
c) Large numbers are produced quickly and
easily machined .
d) The mechanical strength is sufficient to
withstand the stresses encountered during
use.
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Metals used in the manufacture of
fuzes
• 2. Ferrous materials are used for various
components:-
b) Steel for set screws, washers and safety caps.
c) Stainless steel for strikers needles.
d) Tinned steel for spring.
3. Mazak is used for shutters and magazines.
4. Metals for manufacture of fuzes used with
Lyddite are Shellite filled shell must not contain
more than 0.1 % Lead to minimize the
formation of sensitive Picrates.
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Various safety devices in fuze
Safety Device Purpose for which used How it gets removed.
1. Creep spring Provides safety during Thr creep spring over comes the
flight by preventing the striker due to rapid deceleration
inertia pellet from hitting or set forward motion of the
the striker thus preventing projectile on impact.
pre-matures.
2. Detent with Provides safety while Gets removed due to set-back
detent spring handling storage and force.
safety on transport.
CONTENTS 10
Various safety devices in fuze
Safety Purpose for which How it gets removed.
Device used
CONTENTS 11
Various safety devices in fuze
Safety Purpose for which How it gets removed.
Device used
CONTENTS 12
Fuze can be classified as under:-
1. Based on assembly with shells :-
1.1 Nose fuse – The fuze is assembled at
the top/nose of the shell e.g. Fuze Fz-104,
Fuze A 670M (OFK).
1.2 Base fuze – The fuze is assembled at
the rear portion of the shell e.g. Fuze L29-
A3 (OFCh).
CONTENTS 13
Fuze classification
2. Based on magazine filling :-
CONTENTS 14
Fuze classification
3. Based on fuze function :-
3.1 Direct action – The fuze requires head-on impact
& it functions instantaneously e.g. Fuze Mine-1C
(OFK).
3.2 Delay action – The fuze has in-built delay. It may
be mechanical or chemical delay. Fuze A 670M has
Mechanical Delay whereas Fuze Fz-104, Fuze 259
have Chemical Delay (OFK).
3.3 Graze action – The fuze is capable to function on
glancing blow/grazing of ammunition on ground e.g.
Fuze B-429, Fuze B-429E, Fuze DA 4A (OFCh).
CONTENTS 15
Fuze classification
3.4 Time action – Designed to function the
projectile at the end of a predetermined time of
flight, the time being adjusted by the gunner
before the round is loaded. These fuzes are sub-
divided into the following types.
3.4.1 Combustion type – The required delay is
given by train of powder which begin to burn
as soon as shell is fired from the gun. The
powder contained in two time rings, one of
which can be adjusted to give various times of
burning by altering the effective length of the
powder train.
CONTENTS 16
Fuze classification
CONTENTS 17
Fuze classification
3.4.4 All fuzes used for surface to Air
ammunitions have in-built self destruction
which simultaneously works after firing
from gun. It ensures actuation of un-used
ammunition in trajectory after firing at
specified time limits.
CONTENTS 18
Fuze classification
In most of the nose fuzes, first two parts are
exposed over the shell whereas the third part is
within the shell in assembly. Due to this, all
threads for first two parts are RHT and for
third part is LHT, (exception –Fuze B429 &
B429E) since gun rifling gives clockwise
spinning normally. The above theory is vise-
versa for base fuzes.
CONTENTS 19
General Construction
Fuze can be divided in mainly three parts
1. Initiation part (Striker part)
2. Middle mechanism (Delay &/or Safety
part)
3. Magazine part
CONTENTS 20
Initiation part
This part is generally activated on impact.
The striker moves forward to penetrate/impinge
the detonator or detonator moves backward to
get penetrated which is considered as first
action of the explosion train.
In electrical/electronics fuzes, piezo
generator gets crushed enabling to generate
high value of current for a small time which
enables the continuity of subsequent actions of
the explosive train.
CONTENTS 21
Middle Mechanism
In most fuzes middle mechanism is a delay
device. The fuze is allowed to penetrate to the
required depth into the target by imposing delay
in its function to get maximum lethality/damage.
Delay in fuze function is achieved
1. By chemical delay
2. By mechanical delay
CONTENTS 22
Middle Mechanism
The chemical delay is achieved by
introducing chemical powder of required sieve
size limits, specified pressure & dwell time to
achieve a specified density to attain a specified
delay time limit.
Mechanical delay is achieved
generally by a clock mechanism.
CONTENTS 23
Magazine part
Magazine part has chemical pallet(s)
which have less VOD than detonator but
more flashes to transmit the detonation
wave to the chemicals of shell.
CONTENTS 24
Safety in fuzes
Our essential requirement of any fuze being
that the fuze MUST NOT function at my
courtyard but MUST function at
neighbour’s/enemy courtyard compels
introduction of safety parameters in the fuzes.
Safety is required during :-
1. Fuze production
2. Storage, handling & transportation
CONTENTS 25
Safety in fuzes
3. Shock of discharge from the weapon
4. Flight of the ammunition
5. Muzzle safety ( example-SDA)
CONTENTS 26
Safety in fuzes
The safety devices get removed or the fuze gets
armed normally after overcoming the desired value
of the following forces(especially for mechanical
fuzes)
2.1 by set back force due to acceleration.
2.2 by centrifugal force due to rotation.
2.3 by set forward force due to retardation
2.4 by removal of chemical safety.
CONTENTS 27
Functional assurance of the fuze
Functional assurance of the fuzes is
ensured by proof at all related parameters
1. Instant mode
2. Delay mode
3. Safety of the gun
CONTENTS 28
FAILURE OF THE FUZES
The fuzes may have following failures
1. Sealing failure-
failure Fuze in safe mode should
not function but it functions in static proof in
unarmed condition.
2. Blind-
Blind Fuze fails to transmit its detonation
wave to shell resulting non-function of the
ammunition termed as blind. In this case, fuze may
either partially function or may not function at all.
CONTENTS 29
FAILURE OF THE FUZES
3. Low detonation-Fuze
detonation functions with weak
detonation resulting failure of the fuze
function.
4. Premature-
Premature Fuze functions either inside
the bore of the gun or at the muzzle or in the
trajectory within the specified safety distance.
5. Improper delay-
delay Fuze functions before or
after the specified time limits of delay.
6. There may be other defects specific to the
type of fuzes.
CONTENTS 30
A list of fuzes manufactured/used by Ordnance Factories is
appended below:-
FUZE AMMUNITION ORIGINAL DESIGN
CONTENTS 31
FUZE AMMUNITION ORIGINAL DESIGN
CONTENTS 32
FUZE AMMUNITION ORIGINAL DESIGN
CONTENTS 33
Fuzes at OF Khamaria under production
CONTENTS 34
Fuzes at OF Khamaria under R&D
FUZE AMMUNITION ORIGINAL DESIGN
CONTENTS 35
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