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Providing maximum control over fibre trajectories and part geometry; this facility includes a head for laying parallel thermoset prepreg composite tows as well as a specialist thermoplastic composite head for in-situ melding for one-shot part fabrication of bespoke high-performance composites.

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Competitive advantage

  • Integrating wear and vibration analyses for machine condition monitoring and remaining life time prediction
  • Estimation of gear surface roughness and remaining life using vibration, acoustic emissions and wear analysis techniques
  • Expertise in vibration and wear debris analyses

Impact

  • Increased safety for personnel by early detecting and predicting bearing, gearbox and engine failure
  • Reduced through-life support costs through more efficient maintenance planning and practices

Successful applications

  • Helicopter gearbox diagnostics, Defence Science and Technology (DST)
  • Fault diagnosis and prediction of planetary gears and bearings, DST
  • Model-based IC Engine diagnostics and prognostics, Siemens
  • Monitoring of pump wear, Weir Minerals

Capabilities and facilities

  • Two gearbox test rigs (one planetary, one parallel) and one bearing rig, all with variable speed and load capability, for diagnosis of spalls & cracks etc., and prognostics
  • Extensive vibration instrumentation (including for acoustic emissions) and advanced signal processing packages developed in-house
  • Tribometer, rolling-sliding and friction rigs for wear testing; wear particle analysis facilities (filtergram and ferrography)

Our partners

  • Defence Science and Technology (DST)
  • Siemens
  • Weir Minerals
  • Safran