IIT‑H Builds Low‑cost Armour Test Gun

Hyderabad: How do you know if a bullet can pierce armour or if a tank can withstand attack without firing in battle? Researchers at IIT Hyderabad are answering that with a compact, low‑cost setup that recreates impact conditions in the lab.

At the High‑Speed Experimental Laboratory (Hi‑SEAL), a student‑led team under assistant professor S.K. Karthick has built a light gas gun capable of firing projectiles at speeds up to 0.8 km per second. The system, made with PVC pipes and costing about ₹50,000, allows engineers to test materials under extreme stress without full‑scale weapons.

“In defence, one side wants materials that can stop a projectile, while the other wants projectiles that can penetrate. We need a controlled way to test both,” Karthick said. Conventional trials are expensive and complex; this device simulates similar conditions on a smaller scale.

Beyond defence, the gun can be used in space research to study high‑speed impacts or explore low‑cost launch concepts. High‑pressure gas accelerates the projectile, offering insights without fuel‑based systems.

The project, supported by IIT Hyderabad’s BHARATI grant, involved students G. Sri Datta Krishna, Y.V. Karthik, M.N. Marzouq, T. Harshada and M. Raj Kiran Reddy. They developed a sensor system to measure velocity and designed a sand‑filled box to safely absorb impacts.

“Such facilities allow students and researchers to experiment, test ideas and improve materials before moving to real‑world trials,” Karthick said. The team is now in talks with defence labs to scale up the system and develop stronger materials and efficient impact technologies.