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Lord Corporation Reports Pre-production Hardware TestingOct 11, 2011 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Lord Corporation, a provider of of vibration, noise and motion control, has completed testing of pre-production hardware of its In-Flight Propeller Balancing System as part of a $4.5-million contract with the U.S. Air Force. In a release, Justin Manna, Business Development Manager for Lord Corporation, "Controlling vibration with on-line, fully automated balancing technology will lead to reduced maintenance workload and will increase durability and lower the cost of operations. This benefits the USAF by reducing maintenance workload, improving aircraft readiness and improving the reliability of engine-mounted components on C-130 aircraft." "The IPBS has been proven to provide the smoothest and most reliable propeller operation across the entire power spectrum," said Kris Burson, Lord Corporation Americas Marketing Manager, Aerospace and Defense. "In addition to lowering operating and sustainment costs, the system will reduce aircraft downtime due to maintenance and therefore increase aircraft availability." The testing, which was the second development test and evaluation of the technology, was completed and has transitioned into a year-long operational test and evaluation. This testing is part of a System Design and Development contract received from the USAF for the integration of Lord Corporation's proprietary In-Flight Propeller Balancing System into the USAF's C-130H fleet equipped with 54H60 propellers. The contract from the 330th Aircraft Sustainment Group of the Warner Robins Air Logistic Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., was awarded in late 2008 and spans until December 2011. Consisting of a funded $2.7MM base effort and three unfunded options totaling $1.8MM, the contract includes extensive flight and user acceptance testing for their 500-plus C-130 fleet. The system is comprised of one balancing device per propeller and a single controller per aircraft. The computer-controlled system uses accelerometer inputs from the rotating propeller to automatically adjust the balance as needed to minimize total system imbalance for each operating condition. In addition to managing the IPBS system, the small electronic controller also can serve as a predictive maintenance tool. The demonstration began with the installation of an IPBS on a 54H60-91 Hamilton Sundstrand propeller system. Several typical flight profiles were conducted with the support of the 339th Flight Test Squadron of Warner Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Although vibration levels varied throughout the power spectrum on the 54H60-91 propeller, once activated, the IPBS proved it could maintain vibration levels at approximately 10 to 20 times less than any condition between thrust reverse (-6,000 inches-pounds torque) and maximum power (18,600- inches-pounds torque). Throughout this operating range, the required balance corrections varied in both amplitude and in angular position. In addition, the performance of the IPBS was unaffected by ambient air temperature from ground to 20,000-feet. The data gathered demonstrated that the IPBS is capable of performing required corrections automatically and reliably, with no additional workload for the flight crew. In 2009, Lord Corporation flight tested the system on four propellers at Kirtland AFB. The system performed at expected control levels throughout the flight profile and vibration on all four engines was reduced to < 0.05 inches per second during all flight conditions. Overall, the tests showed a 94 percent reduction in propeller vibration levels and 75 percent reduction in propeller induced vibration measured at the compressor. Manna noted that the 2009 test validated that the technology. The high level of predictive maintenance afforded by IPBS also can be used to provide Prognostic Health Management and diagnostics information to maintenance crews, said Manna. Since the system results in less fatigue for both on-engine and on-board equipment, as well as lower failure rates, DOCs are reduced. In fact, Manna estimates that the IPBS will save the USAF approximately $340 million over the life of the system. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) |