The Challenge
An aerospace parts manufacturer needed to develop an aerospace R&D test platform for electric linear actuators as part of its broader push toward supporting electric systems with more adaptable, targeted test environments. The company sought to modernize its testing capabilities while managing costs. Rather than decommission an aerospace R&D test cart that was no longer needed, the manufacturer decided to repurpose the equipment for its new phase in electric linear actuator testing.
Having a long work history with ACS, including the design and fabrication of the original electric linear actuator test cart to be repurposed, the manufacturer chose ACS for its ability to design practical, scalable systems.
The aerospace manufacturer required a solution capable of accurately recreating operational thrust forces for electric linear actuators while also simulating environmental challenges such as wind resistance and potential jam conditions. These demands fall under the scope of aerospace environmental testing, requiring robust systems to replicate high-stress, real-world scenarios in a lab environment.
The Solution
ACS delivered the aerospace test cart for electric linear actuator testing by repurposing the aerospace manufacturer’s existing electronic actuator test platform. The hardware adaptation required minimal electrical redesign, focusing primarily on resizing the electric motor and gearbox to meet new force and speed requirements. This approach preserved the manufacturer’s investment while advancing its testing capabilities to support aerospace environmental testing objectives.
On the software side, ACS upgraded the system to the latest Acselerant™ platform, reusing much of the original I/O mapping and scaling. This enabled rapid user interface development, with operational screens configured within hours instead of weeks for a typical setup. The Acselerant implementation allows the manufacturer’s engineers to create complex, piecewise load profiles directly from the HMI with simple adjustments and a single button click to deploy. This software served as the foundation for the manufacturer’s enhanced simulation and test software framework.
The ACS engineers built the test carts’ capabilities around three core technological advances:
- Real-time control systems: Each actuator features dual Siemens servo motors for closed-loop motion control. ACS software engineers developed custom feed-forward algorithms, configurable by the manufacturer’s test engineers through the Acselerant HMI, that dynamically adjust set points to counteract inertia and maintain a constant force during actuator movement. This innovation allows for strong dynamic performance without increasing PID gains, helping to maintain low steady-state error and system stability. As a result, peak overshoot was reduced from 300 to approximately 50 pounds, and step response time improved from a quarter of a second to just 25 milliseconds while maintaining precision under steady state conditions, which is crucial for aerospace environmental testing.
- High-speed data acquisition: The Acselerant real-time control system enables independent testing of two linear actuators, with the ability to dynamically manipulate set points and detect force variations. The test solution performs position calculations at 1500 Hz, with second-order derivatives providing acceleration data every few microseconds. Using the load profile editor, the manufacturer’s test engineers can configure custom motion profiles at runtime, including nonlinear and piecewise behaviors. This computational power enables precise detection and management of changes in inertia, supporting force testing of up to 2000 pounds while accurately simulating thrust forces, wind resistance, and jam conditions for the two independently controlled linear actuators. These capabilities are supported by advanced simulation and test software development.
- Post-processing and reporting: Leveraging Acselerant’s data processing capabilities, the ACS team developed comprehensive post-processing reports not initially required by the aerospace manufacturer. The system captures force, position, speed, acceleration, and time measurements, delivered through a custom reporting system for weekly reviews. These reports visualize how tuning parameters affected test results, providing the manufacturer’s engineers with in-depth metrics on test stand performance and force application against the actuators.
The Outcome
By leveraging existing infrastructure, ACS delivered a solution that preserved the manufacturer’s investment while advancing its testing capabilities.
The ACS solution enables the aerospace manufacturer’s engineering team to develop comprehensive testing procedures while tuning and validating critical design parameters. With the ability to simulate diverse flight conditions and performance scenarios, the manufacturer can methodically refine its electric linear actuator designs and meet the stringent requirements of aerospace environmental testing.
Key Features
- Supports independent testing of two linear actuators with force capabilities of up to 2000 pounds
- Simulates real-world conditions, including thrust forces, wind resistance, and jam scenarios
- Features closed-loop motion control with custom feedforward algorithms, reducing overshoot to approximately 50 pounds with a step response time to 25 milliseconds
- Performs high-precision calculations at 1500 Hz with runtime-configurable load profiles
- Includes comprehensive data acquisition with custom post-processing reports for performance analysis through integrated simulation and test software
ACS Services
- Repurposed an aerospace R&D test cart, originally designed and built by ACS, into new electric actuator test systems
- Developed custom test control and reporting on Acselerant simulation and test software platform
- Safety assessment to ISO1200, ISO13849-1, and ISO13849-2