FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has added a fire test center for aerospace seals at its manufacturing plant located in Northborough, Mass.
A state-of-the-art operation, it addresses aerospace manufacturers' needs to meet a variety of test requirements to comply with industry and customer standards for vibration and air flow, the company said.
It primarily tests airframe and engine seals.
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, which is based in Fort Wayne in the U.S., is among only a few seal manufacturers that have comprehensive in-house qualification testing, the firm said, including tests for fireproof and fire resistance.
Its new test section was created at the Northborough facility without expanding the plant, a company spokeswoman said.
When Trelleborg moved into the building, she said, it was with a farsighted plan that allowed the firm to expand with the addition of other services, such as the test section.
New equipment was added at the test center, the spokeswoman said, including an approved FAA flame burner, a vibration table and a full internal fire suppression system.
Financial details covering the cost of the center and the purchase of equipment were not disclosed.
Trelleborg said the testing operation will enable specific tests to be conducted for customers with a variety of qualification requirements.
Tests can be made to meet a number of qualifications, it said, including ISO/TR 2685, which calls for vibration and flame exposure of 1,100°C/2,000°F for 15 minutes without allowing flame penetration or other defined failure modes.
The test unit will speed the development of products without the delays involved in submitting to a third party facility for validation, according to Quinn Collett, general manager of Airframe Americas, a division of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions.
It fits well with existing test capabilities, comprised of a multiple of test rigs specific to aerospace seal applications, he said.
“Trelleborg can assist customers in developing the ideal qualification test plans and procedures, with customers picking which tests they need to have proof of the capabilities of their products,” Collett said.
He said typical applications include aircraft interiors, engine fire seals and ancillary components such as oil pumps and hydraulic systems.