Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. –
The Environmental Test Lab at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst, New Jersey, unveiled two new proof loading machines during a Feb. 25 ribbon cutting ceremony, adding new technology to help customers and support the warfighter.
A proof load machine is a piece of equipment used to impart tension and compression forces on various pieces of equipment. Using very large hydraulic cylinders in conjunction with high-pressure fluid, they produce extreme forces up to 500,000 pounds.
The primary purpose of this testing is to confirm the item has been engineered properly to withstand forces within its expected operational environment. Additionally, testing is for model validation/verification and to discover critical design issues before full deployment, where repair costs are drastically higher or could cause severe mission, equipment and personnel risks. In practical terms, this means new support and Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) being deployed to the fleet are properly load tested to ensure they are safe for equipment and personnel.
Lab manager Jonathan Myers noted the horizontal machine is capable of proof loading up to 500,000 pounds. The second is used for similar tests in a vertical orientation with a maximum tension and compression force of 340,000 pounds. He added the tension force of the horizontal machine is equivalent to the weight of 2,500 sailors, 17 aircraft carrier anchors or eight EA-18G Growlers.
“We have a very unique mission with aircraft launch and recovery equipment and support equipment, and this is the stuff that makes us different and makes it clear how we support our mission,” said NAWCAD Lakehurst Executive Director Sean D. Brennan.
The latest addition to the lab’s equipment came thanks to Capital Investment Program funding, which Brennan said allows Lakehurst to continue supporting the warfighter in new ways.
"We continue to make those investments because we can do what no one else can, and we're going to continue to do that, making sure that airmen, sailors and soldiers go out and come back safe every day," Brennan said. “That's our mission.”
Looking at the large amount of force the machines can produce during testing, Myers said he relates their abilities to an F-18 landing on an aircraft carrier. He noted that during a landing, consider the momentum of a 50,000-pound aircraft flying at 150 knots; it is essential the equipment is tested properly before it is installed in its operational environment. He said these machines can test large pieces of equipment that play a critical role in real-world environments.
Myers said having all the equipment in one space is also beneficial as customers look to save time and money during the testing process.
“It’s a one-stop shop for lack of a better term. And a program can come here from start to finish, do all their testing, then they leave, and they’re done,” Myers said. “There’s no logistical or schedule risk of having to go to another lab someplace across the country; send people there.”
Other recent additions to the lab include a large vibration table and a Multi-Function Climactic Chamber.
Adam Hochron is a communications specialist with Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst, New Jersey. 