Interface’s Role in Aircraft Testing
Our force measurement solutions such as precision load cells and torque transducers play an important role in static testing as force analysis results are used in nearly all structural tests. Interface manufacturers both off-the-shelf and custom solutions that are used by leading part and aircraft manufacturers. These sensor products are used on a static test stand to test frame structure integrity, endurance, and life cycles, with the goal generally being to validate aircraft design and ensure specified criteria are met. The strict accuracy is necessary because in aerospace, every micrometer and gram make a difference in both the performance and safety of an aircraft design.
Engineers and manufacturers of commercial, industrial, and military aircraft and associated components must measure multitudes of factors such as fatigue, structure durability, materials, weight distribution, drag, effects of inclement weather, velocity changes, thrust, and center of gravity to name a few. Here are a few examples of aircraft testing:
- Aircraft Weight and Balance
- Landing Gear Load Monitoring
- Cargo Loading and Monitoring
- Structural Load Testing
- In-Flight Load Monitoring
- Wing Load Testing
- Aircraft Maintenance
- Flight control system testing
- Engine testing
- Rotorcraft testing
Static Testing
Our force measurement solutions such as precision load cells and torque transducers play an important role in static testing as force analysis results are used in nearly all structural tests. Interface manufacturers both off-the-shelf and custom solutions that are used by leading part and aircraft manufacturers. These sensor products are used on a static test stand to test frame structure integrity, endurance, and life cycles, with the goal generally being to validate aircraft design and ensure specified criteria are met. The strict accuracy is necessary because in aerospace, every micrometer and gram make a difference in both the performance and safety of an aircraft design.
In our Airplane Static Testing case study, we have detailed two application examples and how Interface products are specifically used in static testing of aircraft. These examples demonstrate how our products are applied and utilized for testing an airplane jacking system and provide a solution for a jet engine thrust test.
Airplane Jacking System
In the airplane jacking system static testing application, our WTS 1200 LowProfile® Wireless Load Cells are placed on jack points measuring weights and forces on an aircraft. Our advanced Wireless Telemetry System provided instrumentation to capture real-time data, such as the individual load cells attached to each jack point, or any set alarms that may go off if it has exceeded a certain amount of force.
Jet Engine Thrust Tests
For the jet engine thrust static testing, Interface’s 1000 High Capacity Fatigue-Rated LowProfile™ Load Cell was best suited for this static testing. The load cell reacted to the thrust forces produced by the jet engine and the signals were collected and recorded to create a “thrust curve” of the engine.aircraft structural tests
Interface load cells have been used regularly in for aircraft structural tests, as well as ancillary equipment manufacturers. Our expert application engineers help you design solutions featuring our exceedingly accurate LowProfile™ load cells for structural static or fatigue testing. Our moment and temperature compensated load cells use proprietary alloy strain gages for extreme accuracy and reliability that is unmatched by other brands. Using eight proprietary strain gages per sensor, our 4mV/V output well exceeds the performance.
Structural Testing
During the development and certification of an aircraft, load cells are used to perform structural load tests. These tests simulate various flight conditions to ensure the aircraft’s components and structures can withstand the expected forces and loads during operation. Aircraft manufacturers, component makers, military, and defense companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, Northrop, Bombardier, Embraer, Gulfstream, NASA, and Cessna utilize Interface load cells for thrust, wing, static, and fatigue testing. While structural test applications utilize many types of LowProfile™ load cells, we offer a wide variety of Load Pins, Load Washers, Load Buttons and Miniature Tension & Compression Load Cells for test, production, and control monitoring applications.
Additional Aircraft Applications Using Interface Products
With a range of capabilities available from miniatures measuring tenths of a Newton to enormous load cells with 2 million lbf capacity, Interface’s in-stock and custom application specific solutions can do it all.