Effect of Geometry Change on the Deformation in C-Shaped Armatures Through 3-D Magnetic-Structural Coupling FE Analysis

An armature is a key component in a rail gun the geometry directly affects the performance of the armature during the launching process, which can be easily destroyed by enormous forces. In order to guarantee the success of the electromagnetic launch (EML), a high-strength armature is greatly needed. In this paper, we focus on the deformation in the C-shaped armature caused by electromagnetic forces. A 3-D magnetic-structural coupling finite-element method is carried out to analyze the effect of different geometries. Four geometrical parameters are used to characterize the maximum deformation of the armature. These are the armature´s shoulder thickness, arm thickness, contact length, and inner curve radius. We get an effective conclusion for designing the high-mechanical-strength armature to improve the performance of the EML.