Within the body armor industry, maintaining the integrity of the materials continues to be a pressing issue. SilMach, a French deeptech company, has presented their solution: shock microsensors. Having already been established in the micromechanics industry, SilMach was chosen by the French Defense Procurement Agency to be implemented into ballistic plates and bulletproof vests.
SilMach, an abbreviation for Silicon Machinery, was founded in 2003 in Besançon, France. Besançon’s vibrant history of watchmaking has deeply informed SilMach’s microtechnological work, attention to detail and inclination towards small tools and fragile moving parts carrying on into the modern era. BodyArmorNews.com recently had the pleasure of sitting down with CEO Pierre-François Louvigné to talk about SilMach’s new position within the GMOS program.
This program, led by the French Defense Procurement Agency, offers funding with which SilMach will produce and disperse their microsensors to the French military, contributing to the personal safety of French soldiers.
The Utility of SilMach’s Sensors for Armor
When we asked if SilMach is looking to expand commercially outside of the military, Louvigné illustrated how the versatility of the sensor allows for a plethora of different implementations. “The first application is the armored ballistic plate, but there is also a market in helmets. For the helmet you are using for motorbikes, for example.” Even something as simple as dropping the helmet on the ground can damage the composite, and with the microsensors, individuals would be able to be more aware about whether or not their safety is compromised. “We have contact with other industries, like electronics that are handled by people during logistics, but also equipment like computers and smartphones,” Louvigné said.
What sets SilMach apart from similar devices is that their microsensors operate without the use of external energy sources: they run purely on micromechanics. SilMach sensors are designed with inertia mass that is sensitive to the acceleration in one direction. “The principle is the same in shock detectors that are using energy,” Louvigné said. “In our case, the moving mass is mechanically locked to a position as soon as the acceleration reaches a threshold.” A red dot appears when the threshold is passed, indicating that the material has possibly been compromised.
While the shock sensors are useful for protection, they are also critical for maintenance of the material. “As soon as one detector is activated, then the plate is placed in a maintenance procedure and controlled,” explained Louvigné. “The technology increases the availability of the equipment, making it easier to focus on the equipment that is possibly damaged.”
The GMOS Program
While this program specifically acts as an acceleration in terms of getting this technology to the French military, we asked if it meant any further developments for SilMach’s commercial market. Mr. Louvigné was passionate about this tech reaching other armies and protecting as many soldiers as possible. “We have the clearance for talking to other companies, and we are already in discussion with other nations for the usage of the technology,” Louvigné posited. “The objective is to provide the French Army with the quantities that are needed, and have the capacity to offer the technology to other nations.” At the same time, SilMach is looking for diversification in the consumer market, in order to lower the price of the technology via volume effect Today the price of the shock detector is less than 10 euros, and the objective is to continue lowering this price in order to make it accessible to all the markets.
SilMach is offering an inexpensive, energy efficient option for the monitoring and maintenance of defensive materials. While they are rolling out the delivery to the French military this month, they are looking to continually expand outwards, extending their protective reach to other militaries and soldiers. We are excited to look into the future of body armor and personal protection, where the integrity of the material is less likely to become compromised without the individual knowing.
