Flywheel Shock Testing Machine with Adjustable Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shock testing methods for aircraft, consumer electronics, and automobile components are inaccurate, unreliable, and expensive, failing to effectively simulate the complex shock loading conditions experienced by these products, particularly in high-G environments like ordnance penetration and crash scenarios.
Innovation Solution
Development of low-cost, reusable shock testing machines capable of applying multi-axial high acceleration and deceleration pulses (>±10,000 g) over long durations, using braking stations with adjustable braking elements and flywheel mechanisms to simulate 'tail slap' events, allowing for precise control of shock loading profiles and data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional shock testing methods (ballistic or operational testing) are used, then high-G shock loading conditions can be simulated, but the testing becomes extremely costly, personnel intensive, and introduces technical and safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex ballistic or operational testing systems with a controlled mechanical braking system. A test vehicle is accelerated along a track and then decelerated by a braking mechanism, creating high-G shock loading conditions through controlled mechanical means rather than expensive ballistic tests
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system is divided into separate functional components: an acceleration section, a braking section, and a test vehicle. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables the system to be scaled or modified without complete redesign
2Measurement precision
If specialized shock testing machines are built for specific requirements, then accurate shock testing can be achieved, but the cost increases and adaptability to varying requirements decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The braking mechanism is designed to be adjustable, allowing the same test vehicle and track to be used for different shock loading scenarios by modifying braking force and duration. This enables a single system to perform multiple testing functions rather than requiring specialized machines for each test type
Solution Approach 2:
The braking force is dynamically adjustable during the testing process, allowing the system to adapt to different test requirements. The braking mechanism can apply varying levels of force and duration to simulate different shock loading conditions on the same hardware platform
3Device complexity
If computer simulation is used for shock testing, then cost is reduced, but accuracy and reliability of testing results deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses real-time instrumentation and data collection during the actual shock event to provide direct measurement of shock loading conditions. Sensors mounted on the test vehicle record actual acceleration, force, and other parameters during the braking maneuver, providing empirical data rather than relying on computational models
4Device complexity
If simple drop testing or pneumatic shock machines are used, then cost is reduced, but measurement accuracy and repeatability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates instrumentation that measures actual shock loading parameters during testing, providing feedback on the effectiveness of each test run. This data can be used to adjust and refine the braking parameters to achieve consistent, repeatable shock loading conditions across multiple tests
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides accurate and repeatable simulation of extreme shock loading conditions, enabling effective testing of components from small electronics to large ordnances, with scalable systems that can collect high-precision data from multiple channels, enhancing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of shock testing.
Implementation Method 1
a braking station having one or more braking elements operatively engageable with one or more corresponding braking surfaces on the test platform
Implementation Method 2
using braking stations with adjustable braking elements and flywheel mechanisms to simulate 'tail slap' events
Data Source
AI summary
A shock testing machine including: a test platform for holding one or more objects to be shock tested, the test platform having an impact surface; a fixed member having a surface disposed a predetermined distance from a corresponding surface of the test platform, the test platform being movable such that the surface of the test platform can contact the corresponding surface of the fixed member upon an impact to the impact surface; and a flywheel having one or more cams for contacting the impact surface upon rotation of the flywheel such that the impact of each of the one or more cams on the impact surface causes the surface of the test platform to impact the corresponding surface of the fixed member to produce a shock in the one or more objects to be tested.