Belcamp, MD
4603B Compass Point Road
Belcamp, MD 21017
T: 410.297.8154 | F: 410.297.8160
Kyle North - General Manager
NTS Chesapeake for the Best in Ballistic Resistant Material Impact Testing
Located in northeastern Maryland near Aberdeen Proving Ground, is our state-of-the-art, 60,000-square-foot laboratory. Our Belcamp lab — commonly referred to as NTS Chesapeake — is one of two NTS labs that specializes in providing ballistic experimentation and non-destructive testing services to support munitions and protection systems.
From our indoor ballistic ranges to our non-destructive testing lab, we offer the type of comprehensive firearm and protective body armor testing that leading manufacturers — including those that work as military suppliers — need in order to meet the strictest regulatory requirements of their business sectors. In addition, our sports equipment testing services help protect athletes across a wide range of high impact sporting endeavors.
Fully Accredited Ballistic Resistant Material Impact Testing
The NTS Chesapeake testing facility houses:
- Climate controlled, indoor ballistic ranges
- Forced entry testing suite
- Mechanical testing lab
- Environmental conditioning lab
- X-ray/computed tomography scanning lab
- Non-destructive testing lab
- Outdoor range for small and large caliber munitions and blast testing
This facility is accredited by NVLAP Code 200820-0 and A2LA to ISO 17025 and is recognized by the National Institute of Justice to perform personal body armor testing to NIJ Standard 0101.06 Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor and NIJ Standard 0115.00 Stab Resistance of Personal Body Armor. The Chesapeake laboratory is also approved by the US Army Aberdeen Test Center to perform helmet, hard and soft armor testing.
Progressive XCT Scanning and Non Destructive Testing (NDT)
Client partners across a number of industries trust NTS Chesapeake lab for advanced digital x-ray and computed tomography imaging services. Our engineers and analysts are exceptionally trained, dedicated specialists in high energy, micro-focus applications; producing timely, accurate results on even the most complex projects. This next-gen inspection method takes mere minutes, yet provides far more valuable data than older techniques.
Multi-Protocol, Multipurpose Ammunition and Firearms Testing
Our Chesapeake lab provides ammunition testing to SAAMI, FBI, NATO and other protocols, including customized test planning. Testing methods include pressure and velocity measurement, proof, cook-off, less-than-lethal, projection characterization, performance evaluations, corrosive primer and primer sensitivity, as well as a variety of environmental simulations.
Firearms testing is conducted to various test standards and test methods and includes accuracy and dispersion, rate-of-fire, barrel erosion and life, weapon endurance, trigger pull, recoil, shock transmittance and proof testing, along with Firearm Safety Device (FSD) testing for boxes and locks.
Helmet Impact Testing
From the helmets worn in football and ice hockey to the protective headgear employed in maritime security and other defense programs, we offer the most up-to-date facilities and in-house expertise to impact test a wide variety of helmets in order meet regulatory standards ranging from NCAA and ASTM to DOT and MIL-STD. Whether it is a helmet-to-helmet impact in football or a puck strike in ice hockey, we have the lab capabilities to verify the safety of the equipment we test.
NIJ Ballistic Testing and Stab Testing
As one of the most widely recognized and accepted personal body armor test standards, the National Institute of Justice — or NIJ — standards are commonly used by both military and police forces to help guide the evaluation and procurement of body armor and other protective personal gear. In line with these standards, we have a state-of-the-art stab testing machine, so our services meet the latest compliance and certification requirements.
In addition to our full-service NIJ ballistic and stab testing, we regularly serve on committees and working groups — providing our expertise in testing so that standards like those from NIJ are well-developed and maintained.
Maximum Accuracy and Consistency: Environmental Simulation Testing
Our on-site capabilities include temperature and humidity, aging, altitude, thermal shock, fungus, salt fog, vibration and materials and chemical analysis. These digitally controlled systems can maximize accuracy and repeatability. And each system can be tailored to meet a multitude of testing standards and regulations, including the requirements of various NIJ, DOD and MIL standards.
NOCSAE Sporting/Athletic Equipment Testing
For the most extensive and advanced testing of personal safety equipment used by contact sport athletes, NTS’ client partners turn to our Chesapeake team. Just a few of the sports we perform equipment testing for include football, baseball, softball, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, polo and equestrian activities.
From high-speed ball impacts in baseball and lacrosse to fall impacts in hockey and horse-riding, impacts can result in grave bodily injury. For this reason, it is key for well-manufactured sporting equipment to provide athletes with robust protection from the dangers of their respective sports. Sports Testing is offered to a number of standards, including NOCSAE, ASTM, DOT, ISO and more.
Ready to talk shop? Request a Quote today to discuss your next program.