Engineering topics

Roberts, Paul W.

Publications and source records attributed to Roberts, Paul W..

7 records

NASA NTRS2012

Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) Force Measurement System (FMS)

An Electronics Engineer at the Glenn Research Center (GRC), requested the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) provide technical support for an evaluation of the existing force measurement system (FMS) at the GRC's Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) with the intent of developing conceptual designs to improve the tunnel's force measurement capability in order to better meet test customer needs. This report contains the outcome of the NESC technical review.

Roberts, Paul W.↗

NASA NTRS1999

NASA Langley Research Center Force and Strain Measurement Capabilities

Direct measurements of forces and moments are some of the most important data acquired during aerodynamic testing. This paper deals with the force and strain measurement capabilities at the Langley Research Center (LaRC). It begins with a progressive history of LaRC force measurement developments beginning in the 1940's and ends with the center's current capabilities. Various types of force and moment transducers used at LaRC are discussed including six-component sting mounted balances, semi-span balances, hinge moment balances, flow-through balances, rotor balances, and many other unique transducers. Also discussed are some unique strain-gage applications, such as those used in extreme environments. The final topics deal with the LaRC's ability to perform custom calibrations and our current levels of effort in the area of force and strain measurement.

Roberts, Paul W.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Elongation Transducer For Tensile Tests

Extensometer transducer measures elongation of tensile-test specimen with negligible distortion of test results. Used in stress-versus-strain tests of small specimens of composite materials. Clamping stress distributed more evenly. Specimen clamped gently between jaw and facing surface of housing. Friction force of load points on conical tips onto specimen depends on compression of spring, adjusted by turning cover on housing. Limp, light nylon-insulated electrical leads impose minimal extraneous loads on measuring elements.

Roberts, Paul W.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Surgical Force-Measuring Probe

Aerodynamic balance adapted to medical use. Electromechanical probe measures forces and moments applied to human tissue during surgery. Measurements used to document optimum forces and moments for surgical research and training. In neurosurgical research, measurements correlated with monitored responses of nerves. In training, students learn procedures by emulating forces used by experienced surgeons. Lightweight, pen-shaped probe easily held by surgeon. Cable feeds output signals to processing circuitry.

Tcheng, Ping↗

NASA NTRS1991

Dual strain gage balance system for measuring light loads

A dual strain gage balance system for measuring normal and axial forces and pitching moment of a metric airfoil model imparted by aerodynamic loads applied to the airfoil model during wind tunnel testing includes a pair of non-metric panels being rigidly connected to and extending towards each other from opposite sides of the wind tunnel, and a pair of strain gage balances, each connected to one of the non-metric panels and to one of the opposite ends of the metric airfoil model for mounting the metric airfoil model between the pair of non-metric panels. Each strain gage balance has a first measuring section for mounting a first strain gage bridge for measuring normal force and pitching moment and a second measuring section for mounting a second strain gage bridge for measuring axial force.

Roberts, Paul W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Development of a dual strain gage balance system for measuring light loads

A strain-gage-balance (SGB) force-measurement system is described which was designed to meet light-load requirements for an airfoil model tested in the NASA Langley low-turbulence pressure tunnel (LTPT). This system was developed to obtain direct force data needed to verify calculated pressure/force correlations used in previous aerodynamic tests. The three-component force-measurement system was designed so that the SGBs would simultaneously support and measure the following loads: weight of the airfoil (approximately 3.0 lbf); 8.0 lbf of lift; 0.5 lbf of drag; and 16.0 in. lbf of pitching moment. In addition to these design loads, the system was required to withstand 100-percent overload on all three components. The system comprises an airfoil, two SGBs, a thermal flexure, and a mounting plate. The installation of the system in the LTPT is also discussed.

Roberts, Paul W.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Strain-gage balance calibration of a magnetic suspension and balance system

A load calibration of the NASA 13-in magnetic suspension and balance system (MSBS) is described. The calibration procedure was originally intended to establish the empirical relationship between the coil currents and the external loads (forces and moments) applied to a magnetically suspended calibrator. However, it was discovered that the performance of a strain-gage balance is not affected when subjected to the magnetic environment of the MSBS. The use of strain-gage balances greatly reduces the effort required to perform a current-vs.-load calibration as external loads can be directly inferred from the balance outputs while a calibrator is suspended in MSBS. It is conceivable that in the future such a calibration could become unnecessary, since an even more important application for the use of a strain-gage balance in MSBS environment is the acquisition of precision aerodynamic force and moment data by telemetering the balance outputs from a suspended model/core/balance during wind tunnel tests.

Roberts, Paul W.↗