Lightning Strike Testing

Element test a comprehensive range of aircraft and facility components that are vulnerable to lightning damage. We evaluate how your equipment responds to both direct and indirect lightning strikes, helping you identify potential vulnerabilities before they become costly failures. We evaluate:

Aircraft 

From electronic avionics and fuel systems to composite structures and control equipment, our comprehensive testing covers all vital components. Our expertise extends to both traditional metallic and modern composite materials, ensuring your aircraft's safety regardless of construction: 

• Aircraft electronics and control systems 

• Composite airframe structures 

• Fuel tanks and delivery systems 

• Electrical wiring and connections 

• Glass fiber components 

Our specialized testing covers all protection levels required by RTCA DO-160 Section 22, offering military-grade protective assurance. Additionally, we test for all waveform methods and protection levels per RTCA DO-160 Section 22.

Facilities 

We test lightning protection systems that protect buildings, including:  

• Air Terminals (Lightning Rods) 

• Grounding 

• Bonding 

• Shielding 

• Surge Protection 

• Circuit Design 

Our lightning strike testing capabilities cover the full spectrum of lightning effects, from direct impacts to induced electrical transients. We provide testing that meets all major industry standards while accommodating unique project requirements with custom testing solutions tailored to your specific needs. 

• Single stroke pin injection testing 

• Single stroke cable bundle testing 

• Multiple stroke testing 

• Multiple burst testing 

• Fuel systems ignition testing 

• Electrostatic testing 

• ESD testing 

• High current testing 

• High voltage testing 

• Pin injection testing 

• Cable bundling testing 

 Electronics testing: 

In addition to lightning protection testing, we offer a range of mechanical, environmental and electrical tests for the integrity and performance of on-board or ground-based electronics, including: 

• Sand & dust testing 

• Vibration testing 

• Combined environmental testing 

• HALT/HASS testing 

• High-Intensity Radiated Field (HIRF) testing 

• Operational reliability testing 

We approach lightning protection holistically, going beyond simple compliance testing to ensure your systems are truly resilient. Our methods include specialized testing for both direct and indirect effects, with the flexibility to provide virtually any waveform transient required for your project's unique specifications. 

• Comprehensive test programs for direct and indirect effects 

• Customized waveform transients for unique requirements 

• High-voltage generators for photographic testing 

• Ignitable mixture testing for fuel systems 

• Transient hot spot measurements 

• Electrostatic charge accumulation testing 

We offer a variety of lightning strike test methods, depending on the type of product being tested and the conditions being simulated. 

 Direct lightning testing methods: 

• High current testing  

• High voltage testing  

Indirect lightning testing methods: 

• Pin injection testing  

• Cable bundle testing  

Additional tests: 

• Electrostatic testing 

• ESD testing 

 Aircraft transient level testing: 

We conduct aircraft transient level testing (whole aircraft testing) from test plan design through to data analysis. Critical avionic systems in aircraft need to be tested at an Equipment Transient Design Level (ETDL) which varies by aircraft/installation. Element can help you determine your ETDL via computational analysis.  

Our state-of-the-art testing facilities are equipped with specialized equipment that can simulate the full range of lightning effects. This advanced technology allows us to create precisely controlled test conditions that accurately replicate real-world lightning strikes while providing detailed data on how your components and systems respond to these extreme events. 

• High-voltage generators 

• Photographic testing equipment 

• Waveform transient generators 

• Electrostatic testing apparatus 

• Environmental simulation chambers 

Our capacity enables time-to-market advantages through shorter testing turnaround times. The test chamber at our Abingdon facility in the UK can accommodate sample sizes up to 3x3.5m, though larger samples can also be tested if required.

Our Element Pittsfield lab is world-renowned in the industry, offering decades of experience as Lightning Technologies. Other Element centers of excellence include Abingdon and Bloomington.