Body armor, you NEED it

[1LtCAP 4,262]

25 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

I have a buddy that is a nurse at a local hospital.

I never really thought how else you would do it.... Kinda took it for granted....

Maybe a Radiology lab? Or a place that tests fire extinguishers/Scott Packs?

hhmmm......i didn't know they xrayed fire extinguishers. i'll ask my service next time they come out to tag my shop extinguishers.......

[10X 3,296]

1 hour ago, 1LtCAP said:

hhmmm......i didn't know they xrayed fire extinguishers. i'll ask my service next time they come out to tag my shop extinguishers.......

I'm not sure that they do.   Visual inspections of the interior show a lot, hydrostatic pressure tests are required periodically, and eddy current testing can be use to find developing cracks that can't yet be spotted by a visual inspection.  Haven't heard of x-rays being used, at least for pressure vessels like a CO2 extinguisher.  Not sure about pressurized water extinguishers or dry chemical extinguishers, I guess it's possible they have different tests.

[High Exposure 5,661]

4 hours ago, 1LtCAP said:

hhmmm......i didn't know they xrayed fire extinguishers. i'll ask my service next time they come out to tag my shop extinguishers.......

I have no idea. I figured if they were doing that kind of testing, they may have the ability to x-ray as well. Was trying to think of a commercial/industrial (as opposed to medical) reason for having an X-ray machine.

[Displaced Texan 11,731]

On 3/21/2021 at 9:00 PM, High Exposure said:

I have a buddy that is a nurse at a local hospital.

I never really thought how else you would do it.... Kinda took it for granted....

Maybe a Radiology lab? Or a place that tests fire extinguishers/Scott Packs?

Usually; pressure vessels go through different types of testing prior to certification. Usually not x-Ray as far as I know. 
 

One of my customers is Naval Research Labs, they do extensive testing on body armor using X-ray spectrometer machines. 
They use one of my companies rotating anode x-ray generators, and a home brew detection system to process the images. It’s a pretty cool setup. 

I would think that you could get a very general idea of the condition of the plates using a a medical type plate image, but to really examine the structure of all the micro fractures of the material, you’d need some specialized imaging equipment and software. This isn’t a subject I know much about, but I know people who do. I can talk to one of our material analysis scientists and find out more information on how the testing is done, and the best way to go about this. 
 

Edit: 

https://www.bodyarmornews.com/body-armor-x-ray/

https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2017/10/new-way-test-body-armor

https://www.army.mil/article/110441/New_Armor_Inspection_System_ensures_ballistic_plates_safe_for_deploying_Soldiers/

https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/tensile-and-flexural-properties-of-a-newly-developed-bulletproof-vest-using-a-kenaf-x-ray-film-hybrid-composite/

 

 

 

[CMJeepster 2,777]

On 7/12/2020 at 7:38 PM, silverado427 said:

Anybody have a opinion on this plate carrier and plate kit.

 

https://lapolicegear.com/shellback-tactical-sbt-actshoot-ar-defender-active-shooter-kit-lvl-iv.html?avad=211021_b1be1aa69

Bumping this in light of the world today and the fact that I've got some money saved now.

Any chance you bought this?  If so, do you like it?

[Krdshrk 3,877]

I actually won the LA Police Gear SHOT Show giveaway..

Came with their Atlas Plate carrier and 2 Level IV (Not NIJ Certified) plates.

Seems pretty comfy even for single curve plates.  I gotta kit out the plate carrier with mag pouches but I think it will do well.  The other carrier will go to the wife in case anything happens.

[CMJeepster 2,777]

Nice and congrats!  I'm going to start doing my research.

[High Exposure 5,661]

@Krdshrk - Is that coyote carrier an old school USPALM?

[Krdshrk 3,877]

13 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

@Krdshrk - Is that coyote carrier an old school USPALM?

Yes it is.  It's pretty nice - wasn't meant for Level IV plates but I still was able to get in a set of Hesco 4400's and the old US Palm Level IIIA Soft armor as backers.  I may flip these plates around - use the new LAPG ones in the US Palm as it's lighter...  More for throw on and go vs wear all day with the LAPG Atlas.

[High Exposure 5,661]

Nice. I was bummed when they went out of business and I hadn’t grabbed the PC I wanted.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

30 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

Nice. I was bummed when they went out of business and I hadn’t grabbed the PC I wanted.

Yeah I got it for cheap too - $50 for the PC (no plates) back in 2016.  

[High Exposure 5,661]

Yeah. I kept putting it off. That was stupid.