Equipment

Spinning Rotor Blade Test (SRB)

The spinning rotor blade test (SRB) consists of two 0.78-m-diameter NACA 0012 blades spinning horizontally in an icing wind tunnel. The blades spin through a freezing cloud in conditions representative of those in actual atmospheric icing until centrifugal force causes the ice to break away. This test simulates ice accretion on a rotary device such as a propeller and measures the minimum centrifugal force required to shed the ice. Blades may also be covered in a special coating to measure the reduction in force required to remove ice from the coating.

• Rotation speed: up to 3200 RPM
• Blade tip speed: up to 130 m/s
• Angle of attack: 0 to 6°
• Wind speed: up to 20 m/s
• Air temperature: drops to -20 °C

Centrifuge (CAT)

The centrifuge adhesion test (CAT) is used to determine the reduction in ice adhesion on a candidate coating compared to an uncoated surface. Samples may be iced in a cold chamber or wind tunnel. (0 RPM to 10,000 RPM, 300 rpm/sec acceleration, adjustable acceleration)

Wind Tunnel Dynamic Ice Accumulation Testing (DAT)

The dynamic ice accumulation test causes ice build up on a scale wing profile that is thermally protected and set up in an icing wind tunnel. This test is performed first on an aluminum profile and then on a candidate-coated profile under the same conditions and for the same period of time for direct comparison.

Spinning Rotor Blade Test (Heater)

This system consists of two small rotary blades (0.78 m in diameter) in a refrigerated wind tunnel that can simulate atmospheric icing. A slip ring delivers electricity to the blades and carries signals from the various sensors installed on the blades.

“ICEPjet” Rain Erosion for Coatings

The Icephobic Jet Pulsating Rain Erosion (ICEPjet) comparison test propels water onto coatings applied directly to samples used for centrifuge adhesion tests (CAT). This test uses water jets to simulate the multiple impacts of rain droplets. This test determines the number of impacts needed to damage the coating compared to an AMS Aircraft paint used as a reference (SAE AMS-C-83231A Coating, Polyurethane, Rain Erosion Resistant for Exterior Aircraft and Missile Plastic Parts). As with CAT, this method is recommended for screening multiple coatings to identify the most durable options prior to comprehensive testing under more realistic conditions that approximate the intended application.

The device uses a 14.8 MPa water-pressure machine and an electric motor to propel a water jet vertically at high speed through a 0.8-mm-diameter spray nozzle. The continuous water jet is then separated into shorter jets by a rotating disc with 20 orifices (10 mm in diameter), resulting in a 40 Hz impact frequency on the sample. Using these test conditions, the simulated 2-mm-diameter drop, or droplet, hits the surface at about 180 m/s.

Portable Humidity-Controlled Enclosure

Zeolite is used to control humidity.

This unit can be placed in a cold room and has a fan for internal circulation.

QUV Tester

This accelerated weathering tester simulates the weathering (UV radiation and moisture) that samples covered with different coatings would be subject to in order to assess how they would stand up to weathering over time in an outdoor environment.

This device reproduces the damage caused by sunlight, rain, and dew. The QUV tester can reproduce months’ or years’ worth of damage in just a few days or weeks. Types of damage include colour change, gloss loss, chalking, cracking, blistering, embrittlement, and oxidation. It simulates the damage caused by sunlight using QUV-A short-wave UV fluorescent lamps.

Portable Skid Tester

Friction testing of British Pendulum Tester pavement preservation treatments.

4-Axis Machine

The Roland MDX-540 is a rapid prototyping system that can be used to build models from any material you add to the machine.

Work surface: 19.6″ x 15.7″ x 6.1″

4-axis rotating unit