It means that testing can be carried out to the same stringent standards, more efficiently, using a modern supportable toolset on structural parts of Hawk and Nimrod MRA4 planes.
The project at BAE Systems’ Brough site in East Yorkshire, which hosts the Company’s Structural and Dynamic Test Facility was carried out by Lincolnshire-based company Systems Services.
BAE Systems’ Colin Lattimore said “Systems Services have successfully upgraded four uni-axial test machines here at the Brough-based Structural Test Facility, where we undertake structural qualification work on many military aircraft components and structures. The upgrade work was carried out in a professional manner, respecting tight constraints on both timescales, machine down-time and budget. The system operators are very pleased with the systems, which now offer improved reliability, functionality and ease of use.”

Training on the equipment and software was provided by Systems Services & Instron.

Systems Services have specific capability within the field of aerostructures testing and particularly in the integration and interfacing of diverse equipment as required in this project. This type of project fits well within Systems Services product portfolio of training and consultancy for servo hydraulic control systems for mechanical testing, including associated servicing, calibration management, commissioning, gas loaded accumulator management and technical procurement services.