Training Courses

Dr Sidney Alford preparing a linear cuting charge

Senior lecturer Dr Sidney Alford

Ribbands Explosives prepares and runs informal hands-on training courses either in Wiltshire, England, or at clients’ sites world-wide. We currently offer two standard modules, a basic course entitled Explosives - Power and Precision, and a more advanced course, Shaped charges - Theory and Application. However, almost anything can be arranged given enough notice.

Our courses are intended for groups, are charged at a flat rate, and are not available to individuals (Why?). Sending less than five to ten people is not usually economic, although that of course is for the client to decide! Having more than about fifteen people tends to make the practical aspects unwieldy, and is not recommended.

The courses are held at a specialist facility at an MoD range on Salisbury Plain. Lecturers are professional explosives engineers, with many years of practical experience.

Course attendees are liable to security checks before being accepted.

Ribbands Explosives is very fortunate in having the services of Dr Sidney Alford as our senior lecturer. To those attendees who have met Dr Alford before he will require no introduction. Sidney combines an unrivalled depth and breadth of explosives knowledge with an entertaining and highly irreverent lecturing style.

Explosives make an important contribution to modern life, yet most people have never seen an explosive, much less handled and fired one.

Ribbands Explosives offer this one day course providing an introduction to Explosives. Attendees will have the opportunity to handle a variety of modern explosives, and learn about the history of explosives, their properties and uses.

In addition they will witness a number of detonations, illustrating the various power and effects of different materials, including gelignite, RDX, PETN, detonating cord and detonators, and will feel the effects of shock and blast.

After lunch attendees then assemble their own shaped penetration charge using a modern plastic explosive and personally fire it at a two inch thick metal target, which they will take away as a memento of a unique day out.

Intended audience
Police Officers, Fire Service personnel, ADR trainers and general security personnel may at some stage come into contact with explosives, or be involved in relaying information on the subject. This course was developed to allow such people the opportunity to gain some understanding of a complex subject and experience the effects of real explosives first hand.

09.00	Registration and coffee
09.20	What is an explosive? : A brief history of explosives, an outline of the differences between initiating explosives, high explosives and deflagrating (‘low’) explosives
10.00	The explosive train : Detonators, detonating cords, high explosives, initiating systems
11.00	Coffee
11.20	Common applications of explosives : Demolition work, quarrying, shaped charges, military ordnance
12.30	Explosive Power Demonstration : Unconfined and confined gunpowder, detonators, detonating cord, commercial nitroglycerine explosive, military plastic explosive, terrorist device.
13.00	Buffet lunch
13.30	Demolition Area : Delegates prepare shaped charge, set charge on steel plate, det-up and fire own charge
16.15	Coffee
16.30	Question and Answer Session
17.00	End of Course

The shaped charge course covers novel uses of explosives to achieve practical effects, such as dual velocity fracturing charges, and shaped charges using copper, magnesium or liquescent liners for attacking explosive ordnance, cutting under water and cutting around cylindrical objects.

The course is suitable for those who already have a basic understanding of explosives, or for those who have attended the basic power and precision course and wish to advance their knowledge.

08.30	Registration and coffee
09.00	Shaped Charges: Lecture by Dr Sidney Alford
10.20	Coffee
10.30	Shaped Charges
11.30	Cutting Charges: Lecture by Dr Sidney Alford
12.30	Future Developments
13.00	Buffet lunch
13.30	Preparation and firing of charges - each delegate fires charges at a steel target in addition to which instructors will prepare and fire charges at a variety of other targets. Coffee is supplied while students are working
16.30	Question and Answer Session
17.00	End of course

1.0 PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
1.1 The detonation process
1.2 The directionality of detonation wave fronts and its control
1.2.1 Inert lenses
1.2.2 Explosive lenses
1.2.3 The inert barrier and track plate
1.3 Transfer of energy to metal plates

2.0 RADIALLY SYMMETRICAL SHAPED CHARGES
2.1 Charges with cavities
2.2 Charges with lined cavities
2.3 The mechanism of penetration

3.0 LINEAR CUTTING CHARGES

4.0 LINING MATERIALS AND THEIR APPLICATION
4.1 Copper and Steel
4.2 Lead
4.3 Aluminium
4.4 Tantalum
4.5 Particulate metal
4.6 Glass
4.7 Water

5.0 GOING ROUND THE BEND - CURVED CHARGES
5.1 Cutting in air, and cutting under water
5.2 Curved linear cutting charges

6.0 FRACTURING CHARGES
6.1 The ribbon charge
6.2 Fracture tape
6.3 Shock wave refraction tape

We receive many e-mails from individuals wishing to join one of our courses - we are sorry not to be able to accomodate these requests. Range space is very expensive in the UK, so it is not economic to run courses on a planned, regular basis, since demand is intermittent meaning that some courses would be oversubscribed, and others almost empty. Plus the security aspect of having to check a large number of individuals, from unknown backgrounds (as is required for acceptance) is not practicable. Because of this Ribbands Explosives no longer offers course bookings to individuals. We're sorry about that, and hate to turn business away, but there just isn't time to do everything. If you are such an individual we recommend that you contact the UK's Institute of Explosives Engineers, who do run courses open to all.

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