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Aviation History
1996
1996 - 1659.PDF
INDUSTRY Tespar builds on sound principles ANDREW DOYLE/LONDON NEW SIGNAL-processing technology able to monitor the health of mechanical systems and predict possible failures could have wide-ranging aerospace appli cations, according to Domain Dyn amics of the UK. The company, marketing a sys tem called the Tespar (time-encod ed signal processing and recogni tion), developed by the UK's Cranfield University, says that its key benefits are the ability to pin point specific component failures while requiring only a small amount of data processing. It is hoped that the Tespar could be used to monitor the condition of helicopter gearboxes or turbine blades in aeroengines, simply by analysing the sounds they emit. For example, as a crack in a turbine blade propagates, the sound it pro duces will change. Conventional signal processing is carried out using a mathematical method called Fast Fourrier Transformation (FFT), which cal culates the individual frequencies which make up a sound wave. This method requires vast amounts of digital data to be processed. The Tespar works by analysing "snapshots" of a soundwave against time, without the need to calculate frequencies. It compares sections of the wave against pre-determined templates and assigns a code to The sounds from turbine blades are all the Tespar neeS for diagnosis each, allowing the wave to be defined using a tiny fraction of the data generated by FFT. These data can be rapidly com pared with a stored reference wave, and any differences identified. The concept is particularly suitable for use with networked artificial-intel ligence computers, which can "learn" rapidly the significance of deviations and attribute them to the failure of a particular component. "Tespar is completely different to established technology," says Martin George, Domain Dyn amics' marketingmanager. "FFTis appropriate where you need to recognise specific frequencies. If recognition of a condition or event is required, Tespar is more efficient and requires less processing power. It is much more of a diagnostic tool," he adds. Using a PC-based Tespar devel opment kit, an appropriate specifi cation can be defined for potential customers. In addition, noise which reveals nothing about the condition of a device, such as that related purely to the rotational speed of an engine shaft, can be ignored to fur ther improve efficiency. Other possible applications for the technology include so-called "smart" sensors and digital cockpit- voice recorders, for which the Tespar's data-compression capabil ities could be be suitable. • France's Onera seeks a fresh strategy JULIAN MOXON/PARIS THE FRENCH defence min istry has told national research agency Onera that it must prepare a new strategic plan by December to provide for reductions in the defence budget and adjust to the restructuring of the country's aero space industry. Onera celebrates its 50th an niversary this year — a 12-month period described by president Michel Scheller as "absolutely key to the future of the agency". Its annual budget has been stable, at Frl.4 billion ($270 million) a year since 1990, but this is being threat ened by major cuts in defence spending, from where a significant portion of its funding comes. Scheller says that the agency is having to adapt in the same way as the French aerospace industry to be more cost effective. Attempts to avoid duplication of the activities of other European agenci es continues under the AEREA group (which brings together France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK), but progress towards the creation of a European version of NASA has been slow. He admits that while the indus try is restructuring "extremely fast", it may take up to ten years for the same integration to happen with European research bodies. The agency is in the process ofere- atingseveral"centres of excellence" in key aerospace areas, but progress has again been slow. Scheller says Onera will present its solution for restructuring by September. "Then it will be up to the ministry to make its policy decisions," he adds. Scheller also points to Onera becoming less dependent on defence funding, and more closely tied to the civil-aerospace industry, including a new project aimed at giving more support to small com panies which need research assis tance to launch programmes. • NEWS IN BRIEF • DUNLOP PREPARATION Dunlop Aviation has opened a £750,000 ($1.2 million) metal preparation plant at Coventry in the UK, which manufactures aircraft wheels and brakes. The plant is being used for cleaning, etching and surface preparation of metal parts, before plating or other types of surface finishing. • CHICAGO CONTROL A Harris voice-switching and control system (VSCS) has been commissioned at the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Centre, and a Loral display channel-complex rehost (DCCR) computer upgrade will become fully operational at the Centre in December. The VSCS pro vides high-speed message transfers, while the DCCR is a processor upgrade for age ing Federal Aviation Admini stration IBM computers. Australia signs up Rockwell to update transports AUSTRALIA'S DEFENCE Department has signed with Rockwell Australia for an SA20 mil lion ($15.8 million) avionics upgrade ofithe Royal Australian Air Force's Locldieed C130H, Boeing 707 and Hawker Siddeley HS748 fleets. The purchase is part of a pro ject to supply global-positioning systems (GPS) throughout the Australian Defence Force. Rockwell will supply its Collins FMS 800 flight-management sys tem. This incorporates its 900G control/display unit, which in cludes an embedded redundant GPS. Cockpit integration will pro vide an interface with the aircraft's Litton LTN92 ring-laser-gyro inertial-navigation systems. Rockwell will be responsible for all design, integration, flight-test ing and spares support. Progressive installation will begin in July 1997, with the project due for completion in August of that year. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 3 - 9 July 1996 23
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