Improving efficiency and reliability of aero engines is one of the main challenges facing the aviation industry today. Element's innovative spin testing solutions ensure your materials withstand higher loads and deliver longer service lives, without impacting either aircraft or passenger safety.

Aerospace Engine Spin Testing

Spin testing has become an integral and indispensable part of all aero engine development activity. The leading aero engine manufacturers are continuously developing new materials and weight reduction methods which they apply to their engine product ranges.

It is for this very reason that spin testing has become an integral and indispensable part of all aero engine development activity.

The Element Advantage in Aerospace Spin Testing

Element's laboratory in Berlin, Germany, specializes in delivering a highly sophisticated range of spin testing services for the Aerospace sector. Element Berlin tests disks, blisks, shafts, seals, bearings, spools, and impellers used within aero engines, turbine compressors, turbochargers and blowers, under realistic operating conditions at speeds up to 200,000 rpm (depending on the size of the specimen) and at temperatures of more than 1000°C to RTCA DO-160, EUROCAE ED14, JAR, or custom project specifications.

All of these tests are designed to help our customers make certain that the engines we test for them are safe, quality, compliant and fit for purpose.

Spin Tests

Services

Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) Spin Testing and Burst Testing

Providing the most realistic test environments considering operating conditions as specified by the customer is our key objective. We have an unparalleled range of spin testing facilities, monitoring systems and support technology in place to enable LCF conditions, so that we truly understand the components´ behavior throughout the testing process. 

Key Facts

Number of Facilities

3

Speed Range

Up to 200.000rpm (research for 300.000rpm ongoing)

Test Article Temperature

Up to + 800°C

Test Chamber Pressure

< 3="">

Test Chamber Dimensions

D 400mm, L 500mm

Test Article Max Weight

50kg

Our experts have developed “Online” detection methods to
identify crack initiation and growth during test operation, enabling us to shut
down the facility in time to prevent the specimen from bursting. This
controlled shutdown process enables Element to subsequently complete in-depth
metallurgic and fracture mechanic investigations.

For intended burst tests, our spin testing facilities can
also be equipped with special equipment that can contain even the smallest
fragments to enable further metallurgic examinations. Exceptional routines in
cyclical spin tests and low cycle fatigue (LCF), as well as cyclic thermal spin
tests, are established to determine the Wöhler curve of the component.

Service

Dynamic Spin Testing

Analyzing
the interaction of blades and disks at certain vibration conditions during
rotation is important to understand their effect on service behavior,
especially in HCF conditions at resonant frequencies. 

To reproduce resonant conditions, Element uses special spin testing technologies to excite a bladed rotor using either air or oil jets. Highly sophisticated measurement and multichannel telemetry technologies enable determination of the damping parameters for individual blades during testing.

Services

Partial Air Spin Testing

Spin tests are normally performed under vacuum for practical and safety related reasons. However, to achieve even more realistic results, a small portion of atmospheric oxygen is required for so called “partial air” conditions during cyclic spin testing at high temperatures, which leads to oxidation of the test body.

The inclusion of essential environmental influences delivers
results which are closer to the reality, enabling clients to extend safe
component cycle times and inspection intervals for maintenance, and allows for
better service life prediction. Partial spin testing allows for a substantial
increase of in-service time for engine components.

Services

Small Spin Testing - High Speed Spin Testing/Turbo Charger Testing

Element uses small spin testing (or high-speed spin testing) to evaluate rotating components with higher RPM speeds

Key Facts

Number of Facilities

3

Speed Range

Up to 200.000rpm (research for 300.000rpm ongoing)

Test Article Temperature

Up to + 800°C

Test Chamber Pressure

< 3="">

Test Chamber Dimensions

D 400mm, L 500mm

Test Article Max Weight

50kg

Our small spin testing range typically covers small turbo charger wheels that will see high rotation speeds in the final operation. Our lab can also test scaled components where rotational speeds have been increased by simulation in order to maintain the stress level to the material as it will occur in the nominal component. Our scaled component spin testing contributes to lower manufacturing cost and significantly shorter prototype manufacturing lead times.

Services

Rub Testing

Due to aerodynamic losses, minimized tip clearance is one of the key success factors of modern fuel efficient engines. A tight tip clearance involves the risk of rotor-vibration if the blade touches the abradable coating of the stator castings. We help mitigate this risk with rub testing services.

Key Facts

Number of Facilities

1 horizontal test facility

Speed Range

Up to 24.000rpm

Test Article Temperature

Up to + 700°C

Test Chamber Pressure

< 3="">

Test Chamber Dimensions

D 800mm, L 500mm

Test Article Max Weight

200kg

To evaluate the effects of rotor vibration on a components' service life, Element developed an outstanding horizontal spin rig which can reproduce and simulate these conditions accurately. Any vibrations and deteriorations that occur during testing can be monitored online through the use of state-of-the-art telemetry systems. Used especially for HPT shrouds made of CMCs, this interaction is an important research area where we can support you with our expertise and experience.

  • Overspeed Spin Testing
  • Cyclic LCF Spin Testing / Low Cycle Fatigue Spin Testing
  • Hot and Cold Spin Testing
  • Dynamic Spin Testing
  • Pre-Spin Testing / Production Spin Testing
  • Crack Propagation Testing
  • Intended Burst Testing
  • Rub Testing
  • Balancing
  • Containment Testing
  • Torque Testing
  • Break System Testing
  • Rotor Excitation
  • Damping Characterization
  • Rotor-dynamical Analysis
  • Blade Excitation
  • Turbowheel Testing / Turbocharger Testing
  • Developmental Spin Testing / Developmental Pre Spinning / Developmental Pre Spin Testing
  • Small Spin Testing / High-Speed Spin Testing
  • Bearing Testing
  • Lubrication Testing
  • Shroud Testing
  • Disk Testing
  • Blisk Testing
  • Spool Testing
  • Tip clearance Testing
  • Impeller Testing
  • Compressor Testing
  • Turbine Testing
  • Oil jet Testing
  • Air jet Testing
  • Partial Air Testing
  • Growth Measurement at Speed
  • Strain Survey
  • Thermal Gradient Spin Testing

How Can We Help Today?

+1 888 786 7555 Contact Us
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