Large data acquisition order involves capturing data from thousands of channels during durability tests on the F-35 aircraft structure
HBM has won an $8.7 million order to supply its MGCplus hardware and its catman Enterprise software ensuring the accuracy of structural tests on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
The equipment will be used for data acquisition and analysis during the testing programme.
FCS Test Systems, in conjunction with HBM, will supply six fully integrated load control and data acquisition systems to the F-35 JSF team.
The solution gives Lockheed Martin and its partners, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman, the ability to remotely view real time data from different sites.
This gives huge potential savings in travel costs, especially as testing takes place in the USA and UK.
Three of the test rigs are for static tests with 4000 channels each, while the other three tests rigs have 2500 channels each and are dedicated to capturing data during durability tests on the aircraft structure.
This is HBM's largest ever order in terms of data channel count.
The order includes HBM's recently developed MD Trend software to provide highly versatile fatigue trend assessment, allowing automatic detection of potential fatigue damage during long term durability tests.
HBM worked closely with Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems during software development to ensure the software meets the all requirements.
Lockheed Martin will use the equipment to develop all three F-35 variants - CTOL (conventional take off and landing), STOVL (short take off/vertical landing), and CV (carrier version).
Development tests of the F-35 equipment will be undertaken at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth site and Vought Aircraft Industries' Dallas site in Texas, USA, as well as BAE Systems's Brough facility in Yorkshire, UK.
