Columbia's strain sensors for military and commercial aircraft

Columbia's strain sensors are for demanding strain and stress measurement requirements. The strain sensors utilize foil strain gauges constructed in a robust housing and are thermally compensated. Columbia's sensors have a long history in military aircraft applications having been fully military flight qualified and FAA DO-160 qualified. Although the sensors have an extensive history in aerospace applications, they are for commercial aviation, structural monitoring, and railway stress monitoring.

Columbia Research Laboratories family of strain sensors allow critical undercarriage structures and surfaces to be more accurately monitored in comparison to counting accelerometer methods. In aircraft applications, the use of direct strain measurement, in place of the counting accelerometer methods provide a more accurate representation of the fatigue loading experienced by tactical aircraft under various conditions of speed, weight, and mission configuration. Critical areas, such as under carriage structures and control surfaces may be more accurately monitored for potential fatigue damage induced by high-g maneuvers and high stress landings.

The rugged, easily installed sensors open new areas of opportunity for monitoring critical structures in commercial aircraft as well as high-performance military tactical aircraft. By combining the strain sensors with level sensing and recording systems, a stress-related history can be maintained for structures or assemblies which may be subject to damage or abuse during maintenance and overhaul operations, as well as monitoring the stress loading encountered in normal flight operations. The use of stress histories in conjunction with established S-N (fatigue life) curves for commonly used materials allow the development of safer, more cost-effective maintenance and overhaul programs thru the application of end of useful life predictions.