Micro-BULLET: A Novel Platform for Micro-Scale Ballistic Testing

PEC and SwRI have developed the Micro-BULLET (Micro-Ballistics Using Laser Launch with Extreme Throughput) system, capable of firing sub-millimeter projectiles at speeds approaching 1,000 meters per second. Built on Laser-Induced Particle Impact Testing Plus (LIPIT+) technology, Micro-BULLET achieves best-in-class energy conversion compared with other laser-driven launch systems. It can perform up to 2,000 ballistic tests in a day with minimal operator intervention. Designed for materials research and high-speed testing, Micro-BULLET enables new possibilities in next-generation material development, coatings evaluation, and impact experimentation.

Designed for high-throughput, low-cost ballistics testing

Conventional ballistic testing relies on large gas or powder guns to fire projectiles at full-scale targets. These tests are the gold standard for ballistics. Despite their effectiveness, the cost, time, and material volume required make these tests impractical for early-stage materials R&D.

Micro-scale testing offers an economical alternative: it is more rapid, safer, and requires orders of magnitude less material volume. The Micro-BULLET system enables researchers and engineers to perform thousands of impact tests per day, making it ideal for rapid characterization and parametric studies across many material variants.

Applies LIPIT technology to larger projectiles

LIPIT has traditionally been limited to 5-50µm diameter polymer or glass projectiles. Micro-BULLET expands this paradigm to 100-500µm diameter steel projectiles—several orders of magnitude heavier— ushering in the “LIPIT+” regime.

Best-in-class energy efficiency

Micro-BULLET achieves unprecedented laser-to-projectile energy efficiency, allowing it to operate with smaller laser systems and still launch significantly larger and heavier particles. This efficiency is what makes the LIPIT+ regime viable.

High-throughput, automated test system

A single 8-in x 8-in test fixture can hold up to 225 individual test cells. Once mounted, Micro-BULLET aligns, fires, records, and analyzes each test automatically. In a May 2025 demonstration, the system conducted 656 tests in just 3 hours and 18 minutes – equivalent to 1,600 tests in a full 8-hour day.

Comparison with traditional ballistics

Micro-BULLET offers dramatic reductions in:

• Material cost (minimal sample volume per test)
• Labor cost (reduced operator intervention and many more tests in the same time)
• Equipment size and complexity (no gas or powder guns needed)

It fills a critical R&D pipeline gap between computational modeling-driven material designs and full-scale live-fire testing.

Summary

We envision the Micro-BULLET system as a bridge between early-stage material screening and large-scale performance validation. It’s ideal for:

• Rapid evaluation of parametric material variants
• Screening of novel composites, foams, or armor materials
• Assessing coatings or layered structures under impact load
• Exploring fundamental impact mechanics at intermediate micro-scales

If you have a use case for this technology, or want to learn more about our capabilities, please contact Alex Lakocy (alakocy@protection-consultants.com).

This material is based upon work supported by the Army Research Laboratory and the Army Research Office under contract W911NF23C0016.

The system described on this page is the subject of a pending patent.