An alternative linear impactor for impact research

This paper introduces an affordable and easily replicable linear impactor designed for impact research. Traditional commercial systems are often expensive and complex, limiting their accessibility to many research and development teams. Our hardware addresses this by providing a reliable platform for conducting controlled impact experiments. The system uses a spring-driven ram to strike an object equipped with instrumentation for measuring impact responses. The design allows for customization and integration with various test objects and setups, making it adaptable for evaluating different impact studies such as the effectiveness of protective devices or head injury studies. Performance testing demonstrates the system's repeatability and accuracy in generating impacts. This work contributes to impact research, enabling a broader range of academic and industry groups to develop safer body protection and facilitate its use for further development by the research community.