Condition Monitoring of Tank Bore Surface Characteristics by an Integrated Measurement Technique

Abstract

Accuracy and safety of tank guns are dependent a great degree on the condition of its gun bore. Many parameters affect accuracy and safety and have strong and complex interdependencies. While it is extremely difficult to monitor all these parameters during battle conditions, it is also essential to enhance the accuracy of the gun by measuring and compensating these parameters. Among all, bore wear and bore centreline are predominant factors. The surface characteristics of the bore also are indicative of potential accidents/deterioration, which should be monitored continuously. Hence, condition monitoring of tank gun bore characteristics in near real-time is an impending need with huge potential for enhancing the combat effectiveness of tank formations. This paper analyses various bore parameters affecting accuracy and safety and proposes a comprehensive condition monitoring method that uses vision camera, thermal camera and mechanical profiler. This integrated approach provides enhanced accuracy in measuring surface characteristics of tank bore that has been partially validated.