Each rotor blade is positioned using pins to interface with the root lug holes.  A post located past the center of gravity of the blade would provide support to keep the blade horizontal during measurement.  The blades are loaded in a horizontal position (“flight configuration”) in order to measure moment weight in two axes, along span and chord.

System software directly reads the absolute value of moment weight.  If the length from the root to the weight adjustment location is entered, the software will calculate the amount of additional weight needed to balance the blade.  The system output can be configured to be an absolute moment weight value or a deviation from a master blade.

Blades weighing up to 200 pounds can be accurately measured for weight and moment due to CG offset.  We also offer adjustable fixturing options to accommodate various blade types.

The post Helicopter Rotor Blade Static Balancing Instruments appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The post Blade Adapters for Moment Weight Scales appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

L-fixtures, vee blocks, roller vee fixtures, satellite positioners, and more. Measurement accuracy is highly dependent on the fixture used to support your payload on the measuring instrument. Raptor Scientific offers its extensive experience in designing and manufacturing fixtures to suit a full range of test parts from hard-drive components weighing a few grams to space satellites weighing 10 tons.

Blade adapters for moment weight scales: Raptor Scientific’s “Gravity Wedge” blade adapters are more repeatable and easier to use than any other style of adapter. Tare moment is not altered by insertion of blade. Repeatability is better than 1 part in 100,000.

The post Custom Fixtures & Adapters appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Adapter plates, precision weight platforms, coordinate measuring machines, and much more. Raptor Scientific supplies the highest quality equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers to provide you with one-stop shopping for all your laboratory needs.

We offer a range of measurement laboratory accessories to complement our mass properties measurement equipment. We are an authorized distributor of these best-in-class laboratory instruments, offered to expand the functionality of your mass properties measurement facilities.

The post Instrument Accessories appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Blade sorting software designed to minimize rotor unbalance. We offer two additional pieces of software:

• Blade classification software sorts the blades into bins according to their moment weight values.
• Blade distribution software sorts the blades to minimize rotor unbalance.

The post Blade Distribution Software appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

• The MW904F focuses on measurement speed while maintaining accuracy and repeatability.
• The MW40KF focuses on very high accuracy and operator ergonomics.

The Model MW40KF Three-Axis Moment Weight Scale is at least 20 times more accurate than conventional multi-axis moment weight scales. It has a sensitivity of 0.02 oz-inch and can measure moment weight up to 30,000 oz-inch. This represents a sensitivity of 1 part in a million! This extraordinary performance is achieved by using the same technology which we use to measure satellite moments. The MW40KF machine automatically measures all three moment weight values (radial, axial, and tangential) without the need for the operator to manually rotate an interface plate or add range weights. A Windows based computer automates the measurement process and displays the measured moment weight.

Why Measure Moment Weight In 3 Axes?

For wide fan blades or large power blades, it is not sufficient to only measure the moment along the radius of the blade; a 3-axis moment weight scale is required. This scale measures radial moment and one component of moment at right angles to the radius; a rotary table is built into the machine to permit the blade to be rotated 90 degrees, so the third component of moment can be measured.

Typical Applications:

These multi-axis moment weight scales are mainly used by both the OEM manufacturers and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers for jet engine fan blades and power turbine buckets.

The post Multi-Axis Moment Weight Scales appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Moment weighing scales measure the moment weight of a blade (see definition of moment weight). These measurements facilitate blade matching to improve turbine or fan balancing and reduce vibrations.

Measuring the moment weight of blades is the first stage of balancing a turbine prior to stacking the rotor.

Typical Applications

Space Electronics moment weight scales are applicable to both OEM manufacturers and maintenance and repair operations (MRO) providers in a variety of fan or turbine blade industries and applications including:

• Jet Engines – Fan and turbine blade manufacturing and turbine assembly
• Power Generation – Gas, steam, and wind turbine blade manufacturing and assembly
• Helicopters – Blade balancing for manufacturing and assembly
• Industrial fans – Fan blade balancing for manufacturing and assembly

Why Measure Moment Weight?

Balance is a major factor in determining the reliability and service life of turbine rotors used in jet engines or power plants. The task of balancing a completed rotor can be greatly simplified if the individual blades are first measured and sorted according to static unbalance moment. They are then assembled in the rotor in matched pairs, resulting in an assembly that is approximately balanced. A better balance can be obtained using our “SPACEBAL” software which compensates for hub unbalance and searches for a best-fit solution involving all the blades, rather than limiting the selection to matched pairs. If the “moment weight” of each blade in an engine is stored in a computer database, then a damaged blade can be replaced with one of identical moment, minimizing the unbalance which results from blade replacement in a repair facility.

Single Axis vs. 3 Axes

When balancing larger blades such as wide chord fan blades, the tangential, axial, and radial moments must be accounted for. To address this challenge, Space Electronics has developed the most repeatable and highest accuracy three-axis moment weight scale on the market. This scale provides moment measurements in all three axes. For more information on three-axis moment measurements, please visit our three-axis moment weight scale page.

The post Single Axis Moment Weight Scales appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

This new instrument has the ability to spin balance a payload in a vacuum environment and thereby provide a solution to eliminate errors due to aerodynamic forces. It is low profile, permanently calibrated, has unmatched sensitivity, and can be used over a wide temperature range. Measurement sensitivity of the FBD system is equivalent to the Space Electronics traditional POI series, which features the best accuracy in the world for low spin speed applications.

The post FBD Dynamometer Series appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

With the Space Electronics POI series Spin Balance Machines, only one machine is needed to measure all mass properties. Our unique spherical air bearing design allows measurement of dynamic unbalance, product of inertia (POI), center of gravity (CG), and moment of inertia (MOI) with a single setup on a single machine.

Available in 19 standard models for payloads from 1 to 23,000 lb / 0.5 to 10,500 kg – from determining product of inertia of a spacecraft to dynamically balancing a rocket or missile, our spin balance machines offer the highest accuracy available.

By eliminating the need for multiple machines, the time required to make these measurements is greatly reduced. Alignment errors that occur during setup on different machines are eliminated. In addition, since the test object is not moved between measurements, the potential for handling damage is minimized.

The post POI Spin Balance Series appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Understanding mass properties, such as center of gravity, makes it possible to design and build stable objects and to predict their performance in a medium such as air or water.  The performance of a submersible marine vehicle depends on its center of buoyancy.   The center of buoyancy of an object is defined as the point that would be the center of gravity of the displaced fluid, not the submersed object itself. Until now determining the center of buoyancy was primarily done using calculations or indirect measurement.

Raptor Scientific has devised an instrument to experimentally determine center of buoyancy to an accuracy previously unattainable. Determining the geometry of the measurement system and validating the theory has been completed with a working instrument ready for shipment to the customer. The instrument is capable of measuring multiple axes with a center of buoyancy accuracy of 0.1″.

CB Measurement Instrument Concept of Operation

Space Electronics’ CB Measurement Instrument suspends the test article from three load cells to first determine Center of Gravity in air. Measured CG in air is accurate to ±0.1 inch. The marine vehicle is then submerged and the load cell output is recorded. Differences between the load cell forces in air and in water indicate the Center of Buoyancy.

CB Measurement System Design

The CB measurement instrument is designed to support the marine vehicle from above by overhead crane. This allows measurement of any object within the crane’s capacity. Also, since the load cells are above the vehicle being tested, they remain above the water surface.

Other Design Advantages

• Mass, Center of Gravity and Center of Buoyancy are measured using the same machine and setup.
• Portable – All that is needed is a crane and a dunk tank or other body of water.
• Ease of handling and loading.
• Small waves do not affect instrument stability. This instrument is suitable to use in a non-benign environment.

The post Center of Buoyancy Measurement appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Space Electronics’ gimbal balancing machine series is the world’s only comprehensive set of machines for balancing gimbaled platforms. It combines both static balancing and dynamic balancing methods.

Many parameters influence the set of balancing instruments and methods needed to achieve the mission requirements. Depending on the application, Space Electronics will offer a set of static and dynamic balancing methods to achieve the best balance solutions for one particular gimbal.

Typical Applications

Our gimbal balancing solutions apply to all types of gimbals, with as many axes of rotation as desired. Typical applications include missile seekers, fast steering mirrors, missile jammers, and airborne cameras mounted on UAVs, helicopters, aircraft.

The post Gimbal Balancing Series appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The Control Surface MOI Instrument suspends the test article in a horizontal orientation to create a gravity-driven pendulum. The pendulum oscillation is initiated manually. The frequency of oscillation and damping coefficient are measured, and forces are recorded using a high-accuracy force transducer to measure control surface Center of Gravity. Inertia is derived from the oscillation period, the mass of the control surface, and CG offset distance. Measured MOI is accurate to ±3%.

The post Aircraft Control Surface for MOI Testing appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The post XKR Moment of Inertia Small-Payload appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Standard models are available for measurement of test objects weighing up to 15,000 pounds (6,800Kg) with an accuracy of +/-0.1 percent. In addition to their use as a design tool, these instruments are fast enough for use on production lines for manufacturing quality analysis.

The post GB High-Accuracy Moment of Inertia Series appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The post XR Moment of Inertia Production Series appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The pair of microbalance models are simple to set up and operate for gathering weight and CG data from many payload tests in succession. With the help of our active moment transducers, moment sensitivity up to 0.01 g-mm is obtainable — a degree that far outperforms other instruments of this type. With proper fixturing, the CG of hard drive heads, gyro rotors, small turbine buckets, and other small objects can also be accurately determined. These instruments use the active moment transducer concept developed to achieve a sensitivity that is 100 times greater than usually possible with an instrument of this type.

The post SE199-SE300 Microbalances appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The post SE8913 Small Payload Center of Gravity appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Models offer rapid measurements of items under 300 lbs. Weight and CG can be measured simultaneously using one of our SE90168 Series instruments. The SE90168 Series of weight and CG instruments is designed for the rapid measurement of weight and CG with the level of accuracy associated with a high-volume production environment. Four standard models deliver medium accuracy and convenience. SE90168 instruments can take a dual-axis measurement once an object is positioned onto the square or triangular plate. Similar to the WCG Series, SE90168 instruments can measure a third CG coordinate. Automated operation software makes CG measurement a seamless process.

These instruments use the multi-point weighing method to simultaneously measure both weight and two coordinates of center of gravity. The operator may simply rotate the payload by 90 degrees to obtain the third coordinate of CG.

The post SE90168 Production Series appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

These instruments use the multi-point mass weighing method to simultaneously measure both mass (weight) and center of gravity (CG). This type of instrument does not incorporate a rotary table, so it can be difficult to determine the location of the object relative to the instrument measurement axes. Accuracy is limited, particularly for tall objects. If you need a high accuracy CG instrument, then we recommend our KSR series instruments.

Less than one minute is required to make a measurement, so these instruments are ideally suited to high volume production. This type of instrument is often used to measure “black boxes” used in aircraft and missiles.

The post Mass (Weight) Instruments: WCG High-Accuracy appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The WCG High-Accuracy Series tests items up to 2,850 lbs, with ultra-high sensitivity models available. These instruments use a load cell system to measure the location of center of gravity using a weighted average. To measure an object, simply lower it onto the triangular table and position it relative to machine zero. The third CG coordinate can be measured after rolling an object 90 degrees. CG accuracy depends on test object weight, center of gravity height, fixture accuracy and leveling. Less than one minute is required to make a measurement, so these instruments are ideally suited to high volume production. This type of instrument is often used to measure “black boxes” used in aircraft and missiles. The five standard C series models are a lower-cost alternative and suitable for general purpose applications. We recommend them for laboratories that don’t require the highest precision.

Our hardware enabled the Boeing CST-100 Starliner team to take highly accurate mass properties measurements ahead of flight testing.

The post Weight and CG of Large Objects and Spacecraft appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

The post MP Weight/CG/MOI Series appeared first on Raptor Scientific.

Typical Applications

KSR series are used primarily by the defense and space industries for measurement and verification/validation of center of gravity (CG) and moment of inertia (MOI) in high end payloads such as:

• Spacecraft: Satellites and Vehicles, Manned and Unmanned
• Spacecraft components and cargo
• Military payload: Bombs, missiles, torpedoes, and their components
• Aircraft: UAV and Flight Hardware
• Aircraft engines
• Ground Vehicles: Automotive engines and transmission components

The post KSR CG/MOI appeared first on Raptor Scientific.