Aircraft brake-test

The Aircraft, Wheels and Brakes department at British Airways has chosen a Mecmesin Multitest 5-x force testing system to perform quality-control assessments on aircraft brake-unit springs.

The Aircraft, Wheels and Brakes department is responsible for the repair and overhaul of the aircraft brake units on the Boeing 737, 747, 757, 777 and Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft.

Testing the brake-unit springs is an important part of the overhaul process, to ensure the pistons extend and retract, and that these components perform correctly.

The Multitest 5-x from Horsham-based Mecmesin is used to perform a compression test, simulating the performance of the springs with a specific load range.

To facilitate quick testing and ease of use, the Multitest 5-x has been programmed with the testing parameters required in the Component Maintenance Manual for each spring.

These stored, automated test procedures have reduced test times by 75 per cent, making significant cost savings and increasing efficiency.

Lionel Fearon, product support engineer at British Airways, said: ‘Use of the Multitest 5-x has simplified and accelerated the testing of aircraft brake unit springs.

‘Having input the parameters per the CMM into the unit, we are able to test a spring at the touch of a button and have a near instantaneous result without ambiguity.

‘The machine has not only simplified the testing procedure, it has helped to improve the process and flow through the shop.’