On August 5, the National Service for Industrial Learning Integrated Manufacturing and Technology Center (SENAI CIMATEC) inaugurated the first Ballistic Testing Laboratory in northern northeastern Brazil. The initiative has the support of the Brazilian Army, through the 6th Military Region, the Army Evaluation Center, and the Brazilian Armor Association. SENAI CIMATEC, located in Salvador, capital of Bahia state, is one of the most advanced technology and innovation centers in Brazil, specialized in developing research and solutions for the military/security industry.
In the new laboratory, ballistic plates will be tested, following the NBR 15.000-2 standard, which is necessary in the certification process of armored products, a sector in which Brazil is a world leader.
According to Tarso Nogueira, SENAI CIMATEC Defense and Security Center manager, the inauguration of the Ballistic Tests Laboratory came at an important time, coinciding with the Brazilian Army’s transfer of responsibility for the certification of controlled products to the National Conformity Assessment System.
“The certification of these products is fundamental to guarantee quality and minimum safety parameters for ballistic protections. With the laboratory, this process will be faster and will contribute to the development of the sector in Brazil,” Nogueira said.
In a second phase, SENAI CIMATEC will expand the Ballistic Laboratory’s scope of activities to include testing of ballistic vests, helmets, shields, and other ballistic protection artifacts.