Testing Services

 

Whether you require material qualification, failure analysis, or performance validation, our testing services provide the insights you need to enhance the reliability, safety, and efficiency of your aerospace and defense systems.

The aerospace and defense industries employ superior equipment and technology. It is vital that devices and structures in these demanding applications perform as expected. Our comprehensive testing services help verify these high-profile components every day. The highly skilled engineers and technicians at our multiple locations bring decades of expertise to each project, ensuring accurate and reliable results.

We leverage advanced testing equipment to simulate real-world conditions to assess mechanical performance. Our facilities boast a diverse array of testing capabilities for materials, components, and full-scale structures. We conduct a wide range of tests incorporating combinations of tension, compression, bending, torque, articulation, fatigue, impact, temperature, pressure, flow, noise, and vibration.

Our Comprehensive Services

Structural Testing

Our Structural Testing capabilities encompass tension, compression, bending, torsion, and shear loading under various conditions, including combined and multi-axial load scenarios in both static and dynamic settings. We specialize in axial and multi-axial fatigue testing, alongside assessments in vibration, impact, creep and shock. Our focus extends to bolt and fastener testing, with customized setups and hardware to meet specific requirements. We perform coupon tests for normal and custom force profiles on all types of materials. Additionally, we are experts in bearing wear and friction testing.

Tension / Compression Testing

Temperature Testing

Our Temperature Testing services address the complex task of assessing material properties at elevated or extremely low temperatures, crucial for understanding operational limits and product reliability. We excel in supporting diverse temperature scenarios, from controlled thermal cycling up to 2000°F (1094°C) to extreme cold tests reaching -320°F (-196°C). Our capabilities include full-scale evaluations of compressed gas transportation tanks at temperatures as low as -69°F (-56°C) and testing the impact of circulating fluid at -40°F (-40°C) on inner pipe structures. In addition, we have performed full-scale proof and burst tests of composite tanks at cryogenic temperatures.

Cold Testing

Pressure Testing

Our Pressure Testing capabilities include gas and fluid pressure testing, rapid decompression, and evaluations at internal pressures reaching beyond 60,000 psi. Additionally, we conduct assessments under external pressures, ranging from below atmospheric (vacuum) to over 30,000 psi. With expertise in cyclic and burst testing, as well as pressure vessel design and testing, we can skillfully verify the integrity and performance of your critical systems.

Pressure Test Vessel

Stewart Table (Hexapod) Testing

A Stewart Table, also known as a Hexapod, is a mechanical positioning system that employs parallel kinematics to achieve precise and versatile multi-axis motion control. It consists of six linear actuators or struts, arranged in parallel between an upper platform and a lower base. These six struts enable motion in six degrees of freedom, including translation in the X, Y, and Z axes and rotation about the Pitch, Roll, and Yaw axes.

At Stress Aerospace and Defense, our custom Stewart Table offers approximately 30 inches of translation and the ability to achieve rotations of up to 35 degrees around any center. What sets this 6-cylinder frame apart is its unique qualification for simulating real-world geometry and movements for flexible elements.

Our team has applied the hexapod to test a variety of components, including hard piping (ducts) and flexible elements (bellows) that are commonly utilized in connecting gimballing rocket engines to their vehicles. Our hydraulic control system is engineered to swiftly articulate the test sample and even alter the position of the rotational centroid without the need for geometry-specific fixtures.

  • Digital Image Correlation (DIC) can be used to measure displacements and rotations under the application of combined forces and moments.
  • Precision displacements can be applied while monitoring 6-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) forces/moments with a single load cell.
  • Precision forces/moments can be applied through the single 6DOF load cell while monitoring displacements.
  • Test articles can be subjected to cyclic loading, internal pressure, and cryogenic temperatures.

The modular design of the hydraulic cylinder assembly ensures flexibility, allowing for easy adaptation to various structural elements, accommodating test articles of varying sizes, shapes, and end anchor locations.

Hexapod-Stewart Table

Stewart Table (Hexapod) Testing

Explore our custom Hexapod | Stewart Table test frame—a marvel of modern technology and innovation.

View the video

Environmental Testing

Designed to validate the resilience of your aerospace and defense systems, our Environmental Testing capabilities include testing in extreme temperatures, and harsh environments involving humidity, salt fog, combustion, and corrosive fluids. We excel in thermal cycling assessments, fluid susceptibility, accelerated aging, and icing evaluations, as well as sand and dust testing. Adhering to industry standards such as DO-160 and MIL STD 810, our rigorous testing ensures your equipment’s durability and reliability in the face of challenging environments.

Environmental Test Chambers

Battery Testing

We specialize in battery safety and performance testing to certify batteries to industry standards, provide R&D insights, and investigate failures. We provide comprehensive testing services, including thermal runaway propagation and containment testing, hazard assessments, cycle life/aging studies, performance testing, and fire exposure and suppression assessments. We characterize batteries using high-precision electrical analyzers, along with various chambers for environmental control, abuse testing, external fire testing, and gas analysis.

Beyond standards testing, our experts work routinely with customers and industry partners on unique safety programs. Our secure infrastructure ensures the confidentiality of sensitive battery applications, including aerospace, defense, and domestic battery production. We also provide turn-key computational analysis services to predict battery thermal performance under operating and off-nominal conditions.

Battery Testing

Test and Structural Monitoring

Our Test and Structural Monitoring services include strain gauge monitoring, providing both wired and wireless monitoring options, coupled with in-depth analysis. Explore the capabilities of our Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system for optical measurement of surface strains and displacements. Experience our Acoustic Emissions Testing – a powerful, non-intrusive inspection technique to verify structural integrity of an entire unit/system.

Strain Gage / DIC Monitoring

Sensor Calibration

We offer Sensor Calibration services to help ensure the accuracy and reliability of your critical measurement instruments. Our offerings include NIST traceable calibration of load cells, pressure and displacement transducers, as well as electronic and specialty test equipment.

Test Instrument Calibration
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Phone: 281.671.2600
Email: info@stress-ad.com

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