SOLID ARMATURE PERFORMANCE - A PROGRESS REVIEW 1980-1990

We review the research on solid armatures that was reported in the per iod between 1980 and 1990, The topical areas that are emphasized are t hose that deal with interface theories and with armature architectures , We find interest in the development of a theory that explains the ef fect of melting of the armature contact on solid armature transitionin g, Many theories have been proposed, The theories are limited in their usefulness because they do not account for important transient three- dimensional effects, Several armature architectures have been develope d and tested, They have captured the essential features necessary to h andle the mechanical and electrical loads, Among the mechanical loadin g considerations are contact force, compliance, friction and wear, and rail damage, Electrical factors include current distribution, velocit y effects, launch duration, and thermal effects.