PEXI ARMORING PROCESS :

Recent conflicts in the Middle East have demonstrated that new generation armored vehicles must comply not only with international ballistic standards but must also be designed and developed to withstand direct or nearby attacks from grenades, anti-personal mines, or improvised explosive devices (IED).

The experience gathered by PEXI in these aggressive operating scenarios has lead us towards the process of re-engineering our armoring with the purpose of:

• Significantly improving the lateral resistance of the passenger cabin against nearby explosive attack.
• Reducing deformation levels of the vehicle's structure, particularly the floor.
• Assuring an adequate resistance of the armored glass and its anchoring points upon an explosive blast.
• Considerably limiting the risk of detachment or protrusion of elements comprising the armoring within the passenger cabin.
• Battery, ECU unit and brake booster protection.
• Reinforced suspensions and sway / torsion bars
• Run flat inserts

1. Structural Reinforcement of the Passenger Cabin

Structural reinforcement is obtained by designing and pre-cutting the least possible total amount of protective parts for the cabin's posts and pillars

In particular, the protection of the 'B' post is achieved by a single vertical piece, formed by a 100 Ton press, allowing it to conform to the original shape of the pillar. This method eliminates the need for welding intermediate pieces and the inherent risk of having them break apart, possibly penetrating the passenger cabin in the event of a blast.

Each of the post reinforcements is anchored deeply into the vehicle's chassis, penetrating several centimeters into the floor, additionally providing a convenient protection at the rocker panel area.

2. Floor protection

Floors are protected by means of a "Double Skin" type structure consisting of a second floor made of 2.5 to 3.0 mm thick ballistic steel, covered by a multi-layer aramid fiber mantle which serves as protection against fragments and spalling in the passenger cabin.

According to the user's specific requirements, the resistance level may be increased with mantles of greater absorption capacity or with self-deforming steel devices which absorb a large part of the blast's energy, reducing injury to legs and feet.

Finally, some vehicles may be fitted with wave deflecting devices (Mine Deflectors) which obliquely divert explosive waves.

3. Armored Glass Resistance and Anchoring

The combination of floated glass, Polyvinyl Butyral, Polyurethane, and Polycarbonate, also incorporates a layer of anti-spall film (Spallshield), laminated during the production process, which prevents the entry of glass splinters into the cabin.

In superior armoring levels (B6 and B7) the glass is manufactured without offset, integrating them into a structure of broadened frames which provide a higher resistance against blast.

In the instance that monolithic glass may not be used due to design or technical reasons, the offset consists of a 22 to 24mm triple laminate (equivalent to a B4 level) which rests within the vehicle's original frame yielding superior resistance characteristics to those of a conventional offset.

In every case, the internal section of the window frame is broadened by one inch (1.0") offering greater overall resistance to a lateral blast.

Armored glass at the cargo area on SUVs is designed smaller than conventional and is anchored on the external part of the opaque armoring, thus creating greater resistance as a whole and preventing their penetration into the cabin upon an explosive wave.

4. Control of Internal Protrusions

In order to complement the anti-blast protection system developed into our armored vehicles, we aim to avoid that elements constituting the armoring might turn into additional risk factors by becoming potential projectiles under the pressure of an explosive wave. With this in mind, certain techniques were preferred over others upon integration of armoring components onto the vehicle:

Small, multiple pieces are substituted by large, curved panels, anchored solidly, avoiding weld joints on flex or support areas.

Screws and bolts, which may loosen or unfasten in the event of an explosion, are eliminated.

Rivets, which are likely to detach in the event of an explosion, are reduced to a minimum.