The aim of the project is to develop advanced integrated testing methods that have the capability to detect a crack or delamination in a metallic or composite structure and have the potential to be deployed as part of an on-board structural health monitoring system for passenger aircraft.

Clean Sky is the largest European research programme developing innovative, cutting-edge technology aimed at reducing CO2 gas emissions and noise levels produced by aircraft. The DIMES project has been highlighted on Clean Sky News.

Empa has developed and commissioned three building stones:

1. Integration of sensor systems

Raspberry Pi mini-computers are used to control sensor modules including strain gauges, visual and thermal cameras but also fibre Bragg grating systems. They are integrated to form a modular measurement system that is controlled through a Graphical User Interface developed at Empa.

C.A. Middleton, P.R. Lambert, R.J. Greene, A. Kupferschmid, E. Hack, S. Michel, L. Harris, T. Siebert, E.A. Patterson, Using COTS technology for Structural Health Monitoring in airframes during large-scale testing, Proceedings of the ETTC 2021– European Test & Telemetry Conference, Toulouse (online), 15-16 June 2021, 73-76.

2. Wing test bench

Empa designed and commissioned a test bench on the strong floor and wall of Laboratory for Mechanical Systems Engineering for loading an A320 wing box delivered by Airbus in Filton, UK. The integrated measurement system was successfully demonstrated on this test bench to detect crack initiation and monitor crack growth.

A.J. Brunner, E. Hack, E. Patterson, R.J. Greene, L. Crosbie, Komplementäre Schallemissionsüberwachung quasi-statischer Belastungsversuche an einem A320 Flugzeugflügel im Rahmen des Horizon 2020 EU-Projekts "Development of Integrated MEasurement Systems (DIMES)", Schall21, Weimar (online), 24–25 February 2021, DGZfP-Berichtsband 175

3. Panel test bench

Similarly, Empa designed and commissioned a test bench for loading A350 fuselage panels made of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) delivered by Airbus in Hamburg, DE. The integrated measurement system was demonstrated on this test bench and validated using results of external Digital Image Correlation and Thermography measurement systems.

The integrated measurement system is being commissioned in ground-based tests at Airbus sites in Filton, UK, and Toulouse, FR.

Project website

https://www.integratedtesting.org/

External funding:

DIMES is an Innovation Action within the European Commission's Horizon 2020 Clean Sky 2 program under Grant Agreement No. 820951.

Contributors and collaborators

Airbus Operations SAS (Topic Manager)

University of Liverpool (Project Coordinator)

Strain Solutions Ltd.

Empa Laboratory for Mechanical Systems Engineering

Dantec Dynamics GmbH

Image Caption

DIMES - Development of Integrated Measurement Systems

Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking

Clean Sky is the largest European research programme developing innovative, cutting-edge technology aimed at reducing CO2, gas emissions and noise levels produced by aircraft. Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, Clean Sky contributes to strengthening European aero-industry collaboration, global leadership and competitiveness.