Shaped charge

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A shaped charge, commonly also hollow charge if shaped with a cavity, is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, initiating nuclear weapons, penetrating armor, or perforating wells in the oil and gas industry. The effectiveness of a shaped charge is significantly influenced by manufacturing technology. From the military and civilian use of shaped charges, it is known that a typical modern shaped charge, having a conical cavity equipped with a metal liner, and produced using conventional technologies and traditional lining materials, can penetrate a hardened steel barrier to a depth of no more than 6 charge diameters (CD). However, by increasing the precision of shaped charge manufacturing, meeting all quality requirements for the lining material and the explosive charge, using advanced methods of filling with high-explosives, and using initiation systems capable...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Robert Blazek, Pezinok, Slovakia, Public domain