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OVERVIEW
When developing new products, aerospace is one of the most demanding industries. Aircraft
products require stringent and extensive verification before ever reaching the marketplace.
However, time-to-market is key to launch of any new product line in any industry.
When SMR Technologies launched the IceShieldTM product line in 1997, they were faced bringing
an entirely new set of aircraft de-icing products into a competitive market. In order to
avoid the long delays and extreme costs of premature flight testing, SMR chose to initially
verify the life cycle of their products in the laboratory.
REQUIREMENTS
SMR Technologies provided a series of requirements for the ETF system. Sanctuary Software
Studio, Inc. worked with the SMR engineering staff to design a turnkey system that met the
primary objective: automating testing to reduce the time-to-market.
- Automate the operation of the endurance test in order to continue testing without
continuous intervention by a technician
- Detect element failures and stop the endurance test on the damaged elements
- Provide a complete software and hardware solution that can be maintained by the
SMR engineering staff
- Provide immediate visual feedback of the operation of the test elements
- Allow the engineering staff to conveniently monitor the operation of the endurance
tests
- Simplify the configuration of the tests so that the SMR staff of technicians
may configure a new test
ETF Control Program
SOLUTION
Sanctuary Software Studio provided a complete solution for the ETF project consisting of
several elements.
- Off the shelf data acquisition hardware for control of the element cycling
and failure detection
- Custom hardware for system reliability monitoring and failsafe protection
- System control and acquisition software
- Intranet remote monitoring software application
- Internet hosted remote monitoring web application
- Complete end-user documentation for both the technical and engineering staffs
- Staff training and management presentation
ETF was deployed in stages in order to bring the system to basic operation as quickly as
possible. Secondary requirements were fulfilled while the system was in operation. A
variety of technologies have been applied to meet the requirements supplied by SMR.
- ETF provides 24 hour cycling with support for system failure detection and failsafe shutdown
- ETF provides redundant fault monitoring of target elements. Failed elements are isolated and
disabled to preserve the damaged element for analysis of the mode of failure
- The ETF software was supplied in both binary and source formats. The software tools were
selected in conjunction with the SMR engineering staff to ensure that SMR retained the
option of maintaining and improving the ETF system internally or through further
development by Sanctuary Software Studio
- The ETF control program provides real-time graphs of element pressure and displacement. All
data is recorded and archived in formats suitable for incorporation in FAA test reports
- The ETF monitor program allows access to the operating state of the test fixture over the
corporate LAN. The monitor program can be run in the background and provides audible alarms on
element failure. The ETF web interface allows access to the ETF status over the Internet
allowing the engineering staff to review the test status from anywhere using a standard browser
- ETF supports step-by-step configuration and online modification of the test load. Complete
online documentation is provided for all aspects of the system from configuration through
design
ETF Web Interface
RESULTS
ETF reduced life cycle test turnaround by a factor of three to one while dramatically reducing
the required workload for both technicians and engineers. The SMR Technologies IceShieldTMPneumatic
De-Icer product line has expanded to cover 67 commercial aircraft models with 340 FAA approved products in
two years. Through laboratory testing, SMR was able to refine product design and manufacturing techniques.
SMR Technologies de-icers exhibit a documented 67% improvement in endurance over the nearest market
competitor.
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