Handheld force gauges
Moderator
Thread Starter
Handheld force gauges
Afternoon all.
I'm in the middle of a programme looking at control (primarily pitch) forces in production/line fixed wing aeroplanes. The current (admittedly rather basic) handheld instrumentation we have isn't doing a particularly good job of resolving some fairly small control forces (which tells you something in itself of-course!).
Can anybody point me at what is available on the market, if anything, that is quickly installed in an uninstrumented aeroplane and will give a good indication of control forces. Ideally I'm looking for something that'll resolve, and ideally down to around an ounce or so / 0.02daN ish but the smaller forces (and chunkier cockpit readout!) the better.
G
I'm in the middle of a programme looking at control (primarily pitch) forces in production/line fixed wing aeroplanes. The current (admittedly rather basic) handheld instrumentation we have isn't doing a particularly good job of resolving some fairly small control forces (which tells you something in itself of-course!).
Can anybody point me at what is available on the market, if anything, that is quickly installed in an uninstrumented aeroplane and will give a good indication of control forces. Ideally I'm looking for something that'll resolve, and ideally down to around an ounce or so / 0.02daN ish but the smaller forces (and chunkier cockpit readout!) the better.
G
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Darn Sarf
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Moderator
Thread Starter
Olly - many thanks, I've sent them an Email and am waiting to hear back.
Gerz - that's exactly what we are using. The problem with them however is that they're generally only readable to about 1/4lb and also that they tend to be relatively long and thin which is difficult in a small cockpit.
G
Gerz - that's exactly what we are using. The problem with them however is that they're generally only readable to about 1/4lb and also that they tend to be relatively long and thin which is difficult in a small cockpit.
G
Some cheap n cheerful stuff.
I did some work years ago with the technology needed to do this, strain gauges, computers, ..., and so had a wee google.
None of these are flight test packages but depending on your budget that might be more suitable
###
Mecmesin - The Force Gauge and Torque Gauge Specialists - Force & torque testing solutions - worldwide
Has REMOTE display
Mecmesin - The Force Gauge and Torque Gauge Specialists - Force & torque testing solutions - worldwide
Has hook, plate, or optional remote sensor, can remember 500 readings.
Has rs232.
http://www.mecmesin.com/ucm/admin/up...%2007%20EQ.pdf
Brochure
###
www.sauter.co.uk | Professional Force Measurement
Categories Digital Force Gauges FK Digital Force Gauges
Categories Digital Force Gauges FT Digital Force Gauges
Categories Software & Accessories Software
Interfaces force gague to computer for graphs.
###
Miniature Force Joysticks
Specification
10N full scale - not much
Characteristics
Can come with serial interface so would be easy to hook
up to computer.
None of these are flight test packages but depending on your budget that might be more suitable
###
Mecmesin - The Force Gauge and Torque Gauge Specialists - Force & torque testing solutions - worldwide
Has REMOTE display
Mecmesin - The Force Gauge and Torque Gauge Specialists - Force & torque testing solutions - worldwide
Has hook, plate, or optional remote sensor, can remember 500 readings.
Has rs232.
http://www.mecmesin.com/ucm/admin/up...%2007%20EQ.pdf
Brochure
###
www.sauter.co.uk | Professional Force Measurement
Categories Digital Force Gauges FK Digital Force Gauges
Categories Digital Force Gauges FT Digital Force Gauges
Categories Software & Accessories Software
Interfaces force gague to computer for graphs.
###
Miniature Force Joysticks
Specification
10N full scale - not much
Characteristics
Can come with serial interface so would be easy to hook
up to computer.
Moderator
Thread Starter
Problem with all of those I think JimJim is that they're relatively long - much like the fishing scales which I'll admit to using at the moment. With a relatively short movement that inevitably exists between body-sticktop-instrument panel, that tends to make them unworkable once you're into larger stick movements.
The items at BDN, which is I suspect is what Hello1 is using, whilst incredibly old, were great because they had little depth, sitting fairly neatly between the hand and the control plus a display on top, where you can see it quite readily whilst strapped in properly. A serviceable one of those with a good scale, or better still an updated one with a digital display allowing greater resolution and range would I think be the perfect solution for uninstrumented aeroplanes (I suppose I could get really greedy and hope for a data logger as well!, but for manual testing in uninstrumented aircraft not really essential).
G
N.B. Rich, don't knock wooden pleasure devices - I've had much fun flying many of them.
The items at BDN, which is I suspect is what Hello1 is using, whilst incredibly old, were great because they had little depth, sitting fairly neatly between the hand and the control plus a display on top, where you can see it quite readily whilst strapped in properly. A serviceable one of those with a good scale, or better still an updated one with a digital display allowing greater resolution and range would I think be the perfect solution for uninstrumented aeroplanes (I suppose I could get really greedy and hope for a data logger as well!, but for manual testing in uninstrumented aircraft not really essential).
G
N.B. Rich, don't knock wooden pleasure devices - I've had much fun flying many of them.
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Swindon, Wilts,UK
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not aviation kit and I'll need to do a bit of digging, but some people I'm involved with were developing a system for measuring the force applied to dental tools as a training aid. If memory serves it was a piezoelectric set up which fitted into the drill or scaler handle. I'm sure that something similar could be rigged to log data to a pda or similar.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is this any use?
http://www.futek.com/files/pdf/Produ...ngs/fbb350.pdf
About 1.5in long, with a strain gauge type readout mechanism (you'd need to buy the readout device separately - would be easy to get the datalogging capability, too). Up to 20lbf, $90.
http://www.futek.com/files/pdf/Produ...ngs/fbb350.pdf
About 1.5in long, with a strain gauge type readout mechanism (you'd need to buy the readout device separately - would be easy to get the datalogging capability, too). Up to 20lbf, $90.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Kittyhawk
Age: 20
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Handheld Force Gauges
Hi
You won't have to wait too long, there is lots of work going on in the unmanned world.
Please see
http://bleex.me.berkeley.edu/Publica...Glove.2004.pdf
Charlie
You won't have to wait too long, there is lots of work going on in the unmanned world.
Please see
http://bleex.me.berkeley.edu/Publica...Glove.2004.pdf
Charlie