The U.S. Navy recently awarded Test Devices, a Hudson, Massachusetts-based rotational testing company, a Research and Development Contract for advanced High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) excitation methods and instrumentation.

Test Devices will collaborate with New Jersey-based engineering firm Mechanical Solutions Inc. to advance the state-of-the-art for HCF testing in a high temperature, dynamic rotating environment.

The eventual testing capability will provide military and commercial OEMs with improved designs to address temperature and fatigue issues.

"Future demands for increased performance, fuel efficiency, and mission profiles for military and commercial applications will continue to drive new designs in the compressor and turbine engineered systems that maximize thrust-to-weight," Test Devices President Rob Murner said.

"Test Devices and our partners are committed to the development of innovative methods to create more realistic engine conditions in a spin test environment, especially for testing of high order closely coupled modes commonly found in gas turbine hot sections.

The award comes through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which encourages scientific and technological research and development, for federal purposes, among small businesses.

Several federal agencies, including the departments of defense, education and transportation administer their own SBIR programs with guidelines established by Congress.

This SBIR project is pursuing the important goal of developing new testing techniques to expand the solutions for HCF characterization for the development of new materials and components.

Development of more advanced HCF testing methods are also critical for solving issues with fielded engines, confirming field repairs for military fleet aircraft and helping to resolve issues related to mistuning, Murner added.

Test Devices and MSI have been collaborating to create better HCF methods for more than a year. Test Devices supplied the low cost spin rig that MSI has been using to develop its radar-based blade frequency measurement technology.