New material advances soft ballistics with minimum weight and maximum performance

A new innovative light weight ballistic material for use in Law Enforcement and Military protective vests has been introduced by DSM Dyneema. High performance Dyneema® SB71, a unidirectional (UD) grade made of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, was specifically designed and developed for use in ballistic vests certified under NIJ0101.06. Vests made with SB71 combine lowest possible weight with the highest protection performance. The new material advances the protection level achievable with Soft Ballistic (SB) armor by building on a new technology platform first established with Dyneema® SB51. SB71 facilitates protective concepts for the lightest, most comfortable and most demanding vest applications in the range of UD grades. It is suited for vest designs that meet the NIJ06 standard as well as other law enforcement and military standards. It can also be combined with trauma liners and stab resistance solutions in vests designed to meet various international standards. Furthermore, it can be used both in tactical and concealed vest designs. It also enables vests to be designed with low Back Face Signature while remaining thin, light and comfortable. According to Ernst Jan van Klinken, Global Marketing Director at DSM Dyneema, SB71 sets a new standard in light weight and therefore user comfort: “The new material meets the NIJ0101.06 standards along solutions made with other Dyneema® UD grades, but with an average 15% weight saving. And moreover, all the other Dyneema® UD grade based solutions are already lighter than other non-PE vest solutions. The main advantages of Dyneema® SB71 for body armor manufacturers include reductions in costs, time and material. Ease of handling leads to time and cost reductions, with less time being spent in material lay-up and cutting. And with less material being required, the environmental benefits are significant too.” The new grade has high durability and resistance to moisture, UV rays and chemicals, characteristics inherent to UHMWPE fiber from DSM Dyneema. Moreover, vests can be easily upgraded to protect against heavier ri?e ?re using class-leading inserts made with Dyneema®. During development, the material was extensively tested by several global customers and end-users against a wide range of threats and environmental conditions and passed all stringent tests, outperforming other materials. Commander Mr. Rosso, Bureau of Weapons and Technical Materials (BAMT) French National Police said: "The new SB71 material was extensively tested by the French National Police against a wide range of threats for Law Enforcement officers. It passed all our stringent tests. Also the performance of this Dyneema® material during the environmental conditioning testing, including high temperatures, meets with our approval." SB71 has demonstrated that it meets the strictest requirements for ballistic protection. A key benefit is its low weight, which provides the wearer with maximum comfort, without making concessions in terms of wearer safety.