A leading OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) specializing in aerospace components purchased the rights to test and certify aerospace valves manufactured by a major, multinational aerospace company. For certification, the OEM client needed to recreate the test capabilities used by the original manufacturer.
The project required two aerospace test stands: a flow bench and a high-pressure proof test stand. A key challenge arose from the need to certify nine distinct aerospace valve models. This complexity meant the test benches had to support up to 18 different test instruction sets. While the core testing objectives—flow/pressure and proof pressure measurements—remained consistent, each aerospace valve model demanded specific testing parameters to enable certification. The engineering team needed to design adaptable test stands that could accommodate this wide variety of valve-specific testing requirements.
Unable to engineer and build the test stands in-house, the OEM company was referred to ACS by the aerospace multinational, for which ACS had done work in the past.
ACS engineers examined the original test certification equipment onsite at the company’s facilities that sold the OEM client recertification rights. During this review, the team uncovered critical gaps in the documentation the OEM client had provided ACS, which understated the range of test requirements for each stand. This led to a major scope change to the project, and the ACS team engineering a more capable and flexible system than the OEM had initially sought.
For example, the original design included only four orifice plates on the flow bench, which failed to cover the full array of flow and pressure requirements for recertification. ACS engineers applied advanced mathematical modeling to optimize the design, reducing what could have required hundreds of orifice plates down to just 13, while still spanning all required testing parameters. This optimization was pivotal in achieving precise, ASME-compliant flow measurement and certification, demonstrating the team’s ability to balance technical rigor with practical efficiency.
The rigging design posed a major challenge due to the complexity caused by the variability in aerospace valve models and the absence of standardized requirements. For the flow bench, the ACS team developed valve-specific rigging for nine distinct models, integrating an adjustable section with linear rails and a benchtop scissor lift to adapt to varying sizes and configurations.
The OEM client needs to test the aerospace valves on the proof pressure test stand to withstand up to 1250 psi to simulate maximum operational pressures. The ACS team designed and fabricated a fully welded, stainless steel enclosure to contain potential failures safely. They also integrated a robust network of safety controls and interlocks to prevent dangerous pressure events.
Fabricating the 36″x30″x30″ stainless steel enclosure required over 40 hours of specialized welding by the ACS team, with each connection demanding precise execution to ensure structural integrity under extreme pressure conditions. Minute measurement errors would necessitate a complete rework.
ACS delivered two aerospace test stands that meet the client’s aerospace valve recertification program requirements. The flow bench tests valve performance by simulating aircraft conditions and measuring flow characteristics across multiple parameters. The proof pressure test stand validates valve structural integrity through high-pressure testing up to 1250 psi, providing a pass/fail assessment based on potential deformation.
Through the initial analysis of the acceptance test procedure and configuration management manual and a site visit to inspect the original test equipment, the ACS engineers uncovered critical testing requirements that were previously misstated or overlooked in the original documentation. This thorough preparation ensured that the ACS teams were able to engineer and fabricate the aerospace test stands to meet the full scope of aerospace certification the client needs to operate their new aerospace valve recertification line of business successfully.