Severance of polycarbonates and polycarbonate laminates with linear shaped charge

The present invention relates to severing materials, such as an aircraft canopy made from polycarbonate, polycarbonate laminate or acrylic/polycarbonate laminate, with an explosive charge. A method for severance of materials made of polycarbonate, polycarbonate laminate and acrylic/polycarbonate laminate utilizes a linear shaped explosive charge placed at a predetermined distance or stand off from the polycarbonate material to be severed. The coreload of the charge is determined such that the minimum coreload necessary to effect severance of a given thickness of polycarbonate material is utilized. A retainer is placed around the charge and affixed to the material such that the charge is at the proper stand off from the material. The retainer surrounds the back side of the charges but leaves open space between the charge and the material to be severed. Upon detonation, the charge creates an explosive cutting force, or jet blast, that severs the polycarbonate material.Also, provided are methods for intersecting explosive charges about a pattern to be severed and methods for transferring detonation between such intersecting explosive charges.