Vibration Testing - Aerospace

Shaker testing is indispensable in the aerospace sector, ensuring that aircraft, missiles, and other critical systems can perform reliably under the extreme conditions they face in flight and operation.

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Purpose of Shaker Testing in Aerospace

Shaker testing is extensively used in the aerospace industry to evaluate the durability, reliability, and structural integrity of components, subsystems, and complete systems. Aerospace systems, including aircraft and helicopters, operate in demanding environments, facing vibrations from engines, aerodynamics, and operational forces. Shaker testing ensures that these systems can withstand such conditions without failure.

Ensures compliance with regulations like MIL-STD-810, DO-160, and RTCA standards.

Qualification Testing

Aerospace components must meet stringent vibration and shock standards to be certified for flight

Structural Validation

Validates designs by comparing test data with theoretical predictions and simulations (for example, finite element analysis)
Identifies potential failure modes in critical structures or assemblies

Durability Testing

Assesses fatigue life and the ability of materials to endure long-term vibratory stresses

Flight Readiness

Ensures that flight-critical systems (for example, avionics, navigation equipment) remain operational under vibration and shock conditions experienced during take-off, flight, and landing

Shock Event Simulation

Simulates transient shock events like engine ignition, landing gear deployment, or weapon release

At LDS by HBK, we have years of experience in testing for aerospace applications at the largest aerospace organisations.

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Applications in the Aerospace Industry

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Aircraft Components
Helicopter Components
Structural Components

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Engines and Propulsion Systems

Jet engines, turbines, and propellers experience constant vibration. Shaker testing ensures components like engine mounts, fuel systems, and cooling systems function under operational conditions

Avionics and Electronics

Critical systems like flight control computers, sensors, and communication equipment are tested to withstand vibration caused by engine operation and turbulence

Flight Instruments

Cockpit displays, control panels, and navigation systems are tested for vibration durability to maintain safety during operation

Landing Gear

Landing gear assemblies undergo vibration and shock testing to simulate take-off and landing forces

Helicopters are subject to high vibration levels due to rotor dynamics. Testing ensures the reliability of:

Rotor assemblies
Tail booms
Avionics and stabilisation systems

Airframes

Aircraft fuselages and wings are subjected to vibration tests to identify resonance frequencies and ensure stability under dynamic loads

Composites and Materials

Novel materials used in aircraft (for example, carbon fibre composites) are tested to ensure durability under cyclic loading

Challenges in Aerospace Shaker Testing

Complex Fixture Design

Large or irregularly shaped aerospace components require custom fixtures to transmit vibration uniformly

High Loads

Testing large systems like wings or fuselage segments demands powerful shakers with high payload capacities

Coupled Environments

Simulating combined environments (for example, vibration with temperature and pressure variations) can be complex and expensive

Data Accuracy

Precision in sensor placement and data acquisition is critical for identifying vulnerabilities in aerospace systems

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Our Customer Stories

Dave Rippington overseeing vibration testing on the MIRI, ( Mid InfraRed instrument ), for the James Webb Space Telescope, JWST, Engineering Model on a Ling Dynamic Systems shaker in the Space Science and Technology Departments vibration test facility, R46, at STFC's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, 18th December 2009.

Ensuring satellite reliability with vibration testing

RAL Space’s work on the James Webb Space Telescope required a new vibration test system, for which they chose our LDS range of shakers.

Shaker testing on satellite, courtesy of INPE

Satellite qualification testing at INPE

For Brazil’s space research organization, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), safe tests with first-time data capture are vital when vibration testing satellites.

DCTA Launch - Photo Courtesy of DCTA IAE

Sensors and airborne amplifiers help launch the VLS-1 rocket

Our sensors and airborne amplifiers are being used to provide critical flight data for the rocket’s on-board telemetry.

BKSV's (now HBK) LDS V8 shaker system and the LDS V721 shaker system help SMAC laboratory with vibration testing

SMAC laboratory: aeronautical and space tests that shake!

Based in Toulon, and recognized worldwide by aeronautics and space manufacturers for its innovative elastomer solutions.

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Vibration Testing - Aerospace

Purpose of Shaker Testing in Aerospace

Applications in the Aerospace Industry

Challenges in Aerospace Shaker Testing

Our Customer Stories

Ensuring satellite reliability with vibration testing

Satellite qualification testing at INPE

Sensors and airborne amplifiers help launch the VLS-1 rocket

SMAC laboratory: aeronautical and space tests that shake!

Get in Touch with HBK

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