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| we
developed the patented ballistic helmet pads nearly a decade
ago to meet the original specifications of the U.S. army
Special Operation MICH helmet. |
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| The
trick is to produce a surface porosity which permits air,
but not water, to come through. |
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Product
Testing and Manufacturing |
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 To
Ballistic Helmets Product Section
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| What
Does It Take To Make A Ballistic Helmet Upgrade Kit? |
Many
Oregon Aero products look simple but actually require
complex
design and manufacturing processes. Creating the patented
pads of the Oregon Aero® Ballistic Helmet Liner and Suspension
System demanded precise engineering of multiple visco-elastic,
two-part cushions; a proprietary moisure and waterproof,
yet gas and air permeable coating; a proprietary self-wicking
fabric; and an innovative four-point chin strap and retention
system.
What was the
result after more than five years of research and development
and millions of Oregon Aero's own funds invested in the project? A
helmet upgrade which is pain-free, safer, stable (even with
mounted equipment), moisture and waterpoof, positively buoyant,
cooler and drier. The system is receiving unqualified
rave reviews from active military and law enforcement personnel.
Each of the upgrade's visco-elastic pads require 27 separate
manufacturing steps; there are more than 60 individual components
that make up each padding system.
Coating the Pads Takes 9 Steps
Consider
the pads' gas and air permeable coating which also is moisutre
and waterproof. The coating helps the helmet stay cooler
and helps ensure that if the pads get wet, the dramatic shock
absorption quality of the pads is maintained.
Oregon Aero's proprietary coating process requires nine steps.
To test for effectiveness, the finished part is submerged
to a depth of 66' for 12 hours. If the part comes out
dry, then we're satisfied - the user will be cooler, and
the pads will continue to provide maximum shock absorption.
Oregon Aero designed and built much of the proprietary manufacturing
equipment used to make these products. |
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BALLISTIC
HELMET PADS - Manufacturing the pads of the BLSS® Kit and BLU® Kit requires 27 steps for each pad. Each
pad is made of multiple visco-elastic, two-part cushions;
a proprietary waterproof yet air permeable coating; and
aproprietary self-wicking fabric. The innovative
four-point chin strap/harness with an integrated nape pad
also is designed and manufactured by Oregon Aero. |
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FROM
FOAM BUNS TO PAINLESS, SAFER HELMET PADS - Visco-Elastic
foam comes to Oregon Aero in large blocks called "buns." Here
Jerry begins to move a bun with a vacuum lift to a proprietary
cutting machine that will cut the foam to thickness within
.005". This is the first of 27 manufacturing
steps to create a painless, safer, moisture and waterproof
ballistic helmet pad for use by military, law enforcement
and others. |
SPECIAL
HANDLING - Drums are loaded
and material is mixed to create the proprietary gas
and
air permeable, yet moisture and waterproof coating which
will be applied to each pad used in the Oregon Aero® Ballistic
Helmet Liner & Suspension Systems. The materials
must be kept at a constant temperature and humidity and handled
carefully. The patented pads provide superior shock
absorption, and because they are gas permeable, yet moisture
proof and waterpoof, the pads' shock-absorption levels remain
consistent. |
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PROPRIETARY
SPRAY COATING - Oregon Aero designed and built
these proprietary spray coating machines
used to coat foam that is used in the production of ballistic
helmet padding systems. Production of the pads is completed
at Oregon Aero's EPA-approved 40,000 square feet facility
in Salem, Oregon. |
PRECISION
CUTTING - Laminated and sprayed, visco-elastic foam is placed on
the CNC (Computer Numeric Control) press for precision
cutting into ballistic helmet liner pads which will be
used in various types of ballistic helmets. Precision
is vital for Oregon Aero's highly engineered products.
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HANDLED
WITH CARE - Multi-layered visco-elastic helmet pads
are removed carefully from sheets after being precision-cut
on the CNC press. |
CUSTOM
BUILT COATING MACHINES - Oregon Aero
designed and built automated coating machines for spray coating
the edges of
ballistic helmet pads after they have been computer-cut to
shape. Manufacturing the coating requires nine steps;
each patented pad goes through 27 separate manufacturing steps. |
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DRYING
THE PADS - After the multi-layered, precision-cut, visco-elastic ballistic
helmet liner pads are covered with a coating which
is moisture and waterproof, yet gas and air permeable, they
are placed on drying racks. Active military personnel
in the field, including those who have experienced combat,
provide overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding the safety,
comfort and other benefits of the BLSS® Kit and the BLU® Kit. |
TWO-PART
POCKETS - Each ballistic helmet pad is inserted individually into
a two-sided fabric pocket. The
self-wicking fabric of the pocket controls heat and perspiration
and the hook/loop side of the fabric permits the pads to
be attached easily inside the helmet shell. Each
pad must be positioned precisely within the pocket before
it is sewn shut by hand. |
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| CUTAWAY
VIEW OF A HELMET PAD — Each one of the
pads in the Oregon Aero® Ballistic Helmet Upgrade
requires 27 separate manufacturing steps. The pads are
made of visco-elastic, two-part cushions and a proprietary
moisture and waterproof yet gas permeable coating. |
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Round
crown pad showing the combination of blue and pink visco-elastic
foam.
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Oval
pad showing the combination of pink and blue visco-elastic
foam. |
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Trapezoid
pad showing the combination of pink and blue visco-elastic
foam.
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Round
crown, oval and trapezoid pads after application of the proprietary
gas permeable, moisture proof coating. |
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| Click
Here for general information and
to order Ballistic Helmet Pads. |
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