Test Devices 2018 Year in Review

2018 has been a banner year for Test Devices, with expansions in both our facilities and our services, allowing us to better serve our customers as a “dependable partner” and a convenient “one stop shop”. Some of our new and expanded service offerings include in-house machining, eDrive spin testing, and expanded balancing capabilities – thanks to the acquisition of a new Schenck balancing machine.

Facility Updates 

Test Devices’ latest facility upgrade brought significant improvements to our shipping and receiving departments and upgrades to our climate-controlled precision inspection room, which includes the expansion of our Quality Inspection team and the acquisition of a new larger CMM (coordinate measuring machine).

The redesigned facility layout, added floor space, and new equipment allowed us to streamline our workflow and enables us to work more efficiently than ever before. The new shipping and receiving departments are now located to the front of the building with an expanded floor space, and optimally equipped handling areas with additional cranes and staged operations. This new layout minimizes unnecessary movement, creates easier access and an unobstructed flow of materials.

We have also expanded our equipment build area and relocated it to a new section of our facility. This move allowed for a more efficient staging of equipment builds and assembly operations capable of preparing three to four machines simultaneously.

Semi-Finish Machining

As of June, Test Devices now offers in-house semi-finish machining services for aerospace turbine disks. For over a decade, TDI has served leading jet engine OEMs who require forging pre-spinning services—a vital part of producing nascent engine disks that offer the highest performance. While a seemingly simple process, this service is deeply specialized, demanding the highest knowledge and skill level to produce a seamless operation. This newly added machining capability will vertically integrate operational steps and allow TDI to offer more expeditious and higher quality services. By the end of 2018, TDI is on track to ship over 100 semi-finished forgings.

Expanding Aerospace Grade Balancing Services

In 2018, Test Devices grew our balancing capabilities by acquiring a new HM 20 Schenck Horizontal Balancing Machine to support the growing demand for these operations. This high precision, state-of-the-art machine allows TDI to service a broader range of customers with varying rotor balancing needs.

Among the primary benefits of the HM 20 is its hard-mounted bearing design, ensuring rapid changeovers between rotors, which allows Test Devices handle significantly higher volumes of balancing jobs and increase the efficiency of our operational capabilities. The HM 20’s modular design also allows it to be easily modified.

Growth in eDrive Spin Testing Systems

The successful completion of an increasing number of proof and burst tests and 130,000 LCF cycles in 2018 attests to the growing demand for eDrive testing.

We are continuing to enhance our testing and engineering offerings to support eDrive customers in 2018, including advanced rotor growth mapping, high-resolution, high-speed video imaging, expedited fatigue, LCF tests (with RT-CDS and growth mapping), heated spin tests, unbalance budgeting and rotor design engineering support.

2019 and Beyond

Test Devices Inc. continues to build our services and capabilities in 2019 and we look forward to offering better services for new and existing clients in the aerospace, automotive, and other highly technical industries. We will keep leading the industry by offering the latest services and technology.

To learn how our spin testing, balancing, and other services can help your R&D efforts, prototyping, or manufacturing operation, contact us or request a quote.

What Is Dynamic Spin Testing?

Jet engine and gas turbine designers must understand the dynamic behavior of bladed rotors and devise a means to manage their resonant vibrations. The dynamic behavior of bladed rotor can be very complex and could result in incipient fatigue failures. The blade vibrations can be influenced by several variables, including its geometry, manufacturing tolerances, material, attachment and damping methods to name a few. The presence of foreign object damage and erosion can also significantly affect the fatigue durability and integrity of the blades. In some cases, a small change made during repair can cause unanticipated mechanical reactions.

Designing a robust bladed rotor system requires a careful understanding of the interaction between the various factors that influence the blade dynamic behavior and its structural integrity. Turbine blade failure is a serious safety issue that can be evaluated through Dynamic Spin Testing and High Cycle Fatigue testing.

Test Devices’ Solution

Test Devices, Inc. has developed and refined a unique approach to test and study the dynamic behavior of bladed rotors. Our Dynamic Spin™ Testing allows the testing of a fully assembled bladed disk. The spin test-based method combines the effect of centrifugal load with the vibratory excitation on the blades. The ability to test the full-size parts with the CF load simulates a realistic test condition, especially at the blade attachment area where the detail of the intricate geometry and the interactions of the parts have profound impact on the efficacy of the damping as well as the parts’ life.

Test Devices has developed proprietary blade excitation techniques and the technology to accurately control the rotational speed of a test rotor, enabling us to target specific resonant frequencies at different engine orders. With these technologies, Test Devices offers a means to establish what vibratory responses can be expected and study the damage mechanisms that affect the durability and the integrity of the parts.

What Is Dynamic Spin Rig?

Test Devices has pioneered the Dynamic Spin Rig (DSR) to accomplish practical, next-generation testing—a patented technology that has been developing since 2004.

The DSR is a spin test system that can simulate the realistic operational environment of a jet engine’s bladed rotors. Fully accounting for real-world conditions including the use of actual components, blade-rotor attachment mechanisms, damper systems, centrifugal loading and the relevant dynamic excitation load at a targeted engine order.

DSR is a useful tool for jet engine designers and engineers to study, measure data and validate:

• Blade resonance frequency & dynamic responses
• Campbell diagrams and FEA models
• Blade deflection and strain
• High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) life validation
• Wear damage/the efficiency of anti-friction coatings
• The effects of mistuning
• Blade resonance changes due to a crack or repair

Trusted Team in Dynamic Spin Testing

The safety and reliability of components that go into jet engines and gas turbine rotors are important to us at Test Devices. We offer our test solutions and engineering testing expertise to tackle even the most challenging requirements. To learn more about our processes and equipment, download our eBook, An Introduction to Dynamic Spin Testing, or contact us today.