High Cycle Fatigue testingTRaC have worked closely with Rolls-Royce to develop a UKAS accredited facility for High Cycle Fatigue testing of jet engine blades and vanes.

HCF testing is used to determine the fatigue characteristics of components such as Low, Intermediate and High Pressure compressor blades and vanes for use in engines on both civil and military aircraft.

The results of the High Cycle Fatigue testing can be compared to theoretical model results, both to verify the model and confirm that a component has an acceptable fatigue life.

TRaC Environmental and Analysis has three dedicated High Cycle Fatigue test cells, allowing testing by electromagnetic or airjet excitation, from 100Hz up to 3500Hz. These cells operate in close partnership with Rolls-Royce to achieve the high standards required.

A wide range of test sample sizes can be tested, both in single-ended and double-ended configuration. This means that blades and vanes can be excited in a variety of dynamic response modes, and samples from a few millimeters to several hundred millimeters can be tested.

Frequency checking of components in both "Free-Free" and "Fixed-Free" configurations can be conducted on batch samples. This is a useful tool to compare samples and reveal mode frequencies prior to High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) testing taking place. Testing state of the art frequency analysis tools to achieve accurate and consistent results.

TRaC has built up a wide range of experience in High Cycle Fatigue testing, and has several engineers with the key knowledge required to conduct HCF testing to exacting standards.