Reliable helicopter electric actuators The time and costs related to testing helicopter electric systems significantly affect the competitiveness of the EU's aerospace industry. A new test bench will revolutionise testing of electric actuators. Transport and Mobility Industrial Technologies © Francisco José Estensoro Rotorcraft systems are becoming more electric for increased efficiency and safety. The Green Rotorcraft Consortium – a subprogramme of the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) – focuses on advanced electrical systems for reducing noxious hydraulic fluids and fuel consumption. Testing is an essential stage in the development of electrical systems. The EU-funded project TESTHEMAS (Design and implementation of a load simulator rig and ground test bench adaptation kit for a HEMAS test rig) manufactured and tuned an innovative and smart test bench for linear actuators. The test bench is able to conduct synchronised tests on three helicopter linear electromechanical actuator (EMA) assemblies, while applying different loads on them. The project also implemented an adaptation kit that can interface the EMA test rig with the ground electrical network test bench. Within a 9-square metre area, the TESTHEMAS test rig is designed to be modular, versatile, and able to integrate a wide range of hydraulic and mechanical equipment. It is also equipped with a dedicated complete autonomous hydraulic power system for ground tests. Force and velocity sensors gather valuable information about the test rig. A local control system interfaces with the test rig sensors, the actuators and the equipment under test. This should allow end users to implement predictive maintenance operations, reducing diagnosis time and machine downtime. Predictive maintenance combined with the ease of assembling and disassembling components of the test rig should help reduce maintenance costs by at least 15 %. The TESTHEMAS test rig will allow measuring with accuracy several physical parameters such as dynamic and thermal loads on helicopter EMAs. Relying on this data and numerical models, manufacturers should be able to enhance EMA performance and increase reliability. Keywords Helicopter, test bench, TESTHEMAS, load simulator, electromechanical actuator
