Modern warfare demands sophisticated and reliable protective equipment for combat soldiers. With this in mind, Ceradyne uses high performance materials to revolutionize the efficacy of a traditional military item – the combat helmet.

The Ceradyne Diaphorm Ballistic Helmet presents a dramatic improvement over conventional helmets. Ceradyne’s new technology provides maximum lifesaving protection and increased shielding against fragments and small arms. It also stops select rifle rounds.

Technology:

The Ceradyne Diaphorm shell uses Ceradyne Diaphorm’s proprietary Seamless BallisticTM Helmet (SBH) forming and Thermoplastic Composite Helmet (TCH) molding technologies. SBH technology is used to form the helmet shell geometry from a multi-layered laminate without having to cut or dart any of the individual layers while creating a helmet shell with virtually no folds in the laminate. The resulting molded shell offers performance uniformity and thickness repeatability. The manufacturing techniques also generate a superior performing helmet in a highly repeatable volume production environment.

Materials:

Ceradyne uses several high performance materials in the fabrication of its Ballistic Helmet. Carefully selected during development, each material contributes to the ability to fulfill superior ballistic requirements. Ceradyne Diaphorm also has developed manufacturing techniques specifically for Thermoplastic Composite materials that best take advantage of unique molding characteristics.

For example, Thermoplastic Composite, used as the main helmet shell material, enhances ballistic performance of the shell but also greatly impacts manufacturability.

Leading Edge Protection Against Environmental Conditions

Due to the nature and chemistry of the materials used in construction, and particularly the Thermoplastic resin and fiber materials that make up the majority of the helmet, it is expected that the Ballistic Helmet will not degrade because of operational elements such as seawater, temperature shock, high altitude, salt-fog, and field agents.

To learn more, visit our page on Seamless Combat Helmets. Ceradyne Diaphorm offers full engineering, manufacturing, integration, and financial capacity to design, test, manufacture, and mass produce personal armor protection systems such as helmets and individual body armor systems.