MODERN MATERIALS IN AEROSPACE INDUSTRY - FATIGUE TESTS OF MAGNESIUM ALLOY CONTROL SYSTEM LEVER OF THE UNMANNED ILX - 27 HELICOPTER

摘要

Paper presents new technology and materials applied in aerospace engineering. As an example, a main rotorcraft control–system lever is shown in studies aimed at approving the new material. The goal is to approve a new, lighter material i.e. AZ31 magnesium alloy, which will have the appropriate strength properties. The aim of implementing such amendments is to minimize the weight of an unmanned ILX-27 helicopter designed at the Institute of Aviation. Determination of static and dynamic strength of the lever is the basis for pre-determining the viability and approval of a new structural part for flight. In this project the fatigue tests of magnesium alloy AZ31 control-system lever of the ILX -27 unmanned helicopter was carried out. Test program of the lever is based on real data from flights of the ILX-27. Tests were performed on a test stand dedicated directly to the fatigue tests of the control lever and designed in such a way to accurately reflect the control-system lever loads occurring during the helicopter flight. Fatigue test had to give the answer about the strength of the control-system lever for up to 100 hours of flight of the unmanned helicopter ILX-27. Before proceeding to fatigue tests, we conducted a series of laboratory static strength tests which were preceded by the lever static strength calculations in the computing environment ANSYS Inc. Additionally, a geometry measurement of the control - system lever at CMM equipped with a laser scanner head was made to compare with the lever CAD model to assess the quality and method of conformance. Article contains conclusions about strength of the aluminium alloy control-system levers and the possibility of their implementation in a helicopter ILX-27. Additionally, short description of the ILX-27 program will be included.