Aerospace testing

Aviation safety is of utmost importance within the aerospace sector. Accordingly, stringent regulations have been established over the past century of human aviation to uphold this safety standard. Regulatory authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), often referred to as the European Aviation Administration (EAA), have formulated comprehensive standards for aircraft and their components that all companies must meet to market such products. Thus, all new aircraft designs, as well as modifications to subsystems such as redesigned wings, must undergo extensive testing to obtain certification from the relevant regulatory authorities before being offered for sale to airlines.

Optical 3D measurement systems offer significant time savings in the preparation phase of physical tests required for the certification of aircraft and aircraft components. Unlike traditional tactile sensors, which require time-consuming application to the subject under examination, optical metrology operates non-contact. For optical measurements, test devices are prepared using either a stochastic high-contrast color pattern for full-field measurements, self-adhesive circular targets for pointwise measurements, or both. This preparation typically takes only hours or a few days, compared with the weeks commonly needed to equip structural components or airframes with strain gauges or linear variable displacement transducers (LVDTs).

Beyond the time and cost efficiencies of the preparation stage, optical measurement systems provide a comprehensive array of data on the geometry, deformation, and dynamic behavior of materials, components, and structures. Such extensive data sets can significantly expedite design iterations, thereby enhancing overall project efficiency.

The results generated from optical three-dimensional measurements, which encompass strains, displacements, and deformations, interact with simulation models through a feedback and optimization loop. Insights and data on the mechanical material characteristics, obtained using ZEISS ARAMIS and subsequently evaluated and reported with ZEISS CORRELATE, can be integrated into simulation models via the creation of material cards. This integration facilitates the development of more precise and comprehensive material cards, leading to enhanced simulation outcomes. Furthermore, dynamic optical measurements can validate the boundary conditions of mechanical tests, enabling a comparative analysis of simulation parameters against actual physical test setups. Additionally, simulation results can be imported into ZEISS CORRELATE, enabling a full-field comparison with experimental data from physical testing.

Optical sensors operate in a non-contact manner and are based on digital camera technology. Various versions of the ZEISS ARAMIS system are available, each with different image-acquisition speeds. The higher the image capture rate (frames per second), the more dynamic tests the respective sensor can handle. Using advanced high-speed camera technology, optical three-dimensional sensors can accurately assess highly dynamic tests such as drop tests or bird strike tests.

Optical measurement technology is extensively utilized within the aviation sector by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers, as well as testing facilities. In aerospace testing, optical sensors such as the ZEISS ARAMIS serve as measurement solutions for a variety of tests. These include, but are not limited to, tensile tests, open hole tension tests, shear lap tension tests after impact, wing bending tests, bird strike tests, blade out containment tests, strength assessments of riveted joints, and flutter tests conducted on models within wind tunnels.