Testing and Evaluation Equipment for the Aerospace Industry

Importance of the Topic

Aerospace applications demand materials that combine extreme lightness, high strength, and resistance to thermal and mechanical stresses. Comprehensive testing and evaluation of these materials ensure safety, reliability, and performance under harsh conditions ranging from deep-space thermal cycling to high-speed fatigue loading. Advanced analytical methods support the development of next-generation composites and alloys for aircraft, satellites, and rockets.

Objectives and Overview

This whitepaper presents Shimadzu’s suite of testing solutions tailored for aerospace materials. It outlines static, dynamic, fatigue, impact, thermal, and multiaxial testing approaches developed in collaboration with research institutions. The aim is to illustrate how integrated instrumentation accelerates materials development, quality control, and structural verification throughout the aerospace lifecycle.

Methodology and Used Instrumentation

Testing methodologies cover a broad spectrum of mechanical evaluations:

• Static tensile and compression tests for strength and modulus measurements
• High-speed tensile impact testing synchronized with video capture up to 1 000 000 fps
• Fatigue and endurance testing from low-frequency to ultrasonic gigacycle regimes
• High-temperature and thermal-cycle testing using induction and resistance heating up to 2000 °C
• Multiaxial and torsion testing under controlled environmental chambers
• Non-contact video extensometry for delicate films and composites
• SEM-based in situ fracture observations at temperatures up to 800 °C

Main Results and Discussion

High-speed impact tests on unidirectional CFRP revealed crack initiation and propagation dynamics with microsecond resolution. Ultrasonic fatigue testing extended life-prediction into 10⁸–10¹⁰ cycle regimes, enabling efficient gigacycle characterization. Thermal fatigue of super-heat-resisting alloys demonstrated reliable creep and stress-rupture data at turbine-relevant temperatures. Composite interlaminar fracture toughness and residual strength after impact were quantified, guiding damage-tolerant design. Non-contact strain measurements improved accuracy for thin materials and foams used in cabin insulation and window assemblies.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Shimadzu’s integrated test platforms empower aerospace engineers to validate new materials faster and more reliably. Key applications include:

• Qualification of CFRP components for wings, stabilizers, and fuselage sections
• Evaluation of high-temperature alloys for turbine blades and engine parts
• Assessment of damage resistance and maintenance intervals via residual strength testing
• Optimization of thermal insulation and cabin comfort materials
• Quality assurance of electronic and adhesive joints under service-like loads

Future Trends and Applications

Emerging trends point to tighter integration between test data and predictive CAE models, along with AI-driven fracture analysis from high-speed video. Microscale and nanoscale mechanical testing will expand for novel nanocomposites and additive-manufactured parts. Enhanced environmental chambers capable of simulating combined thermal, mechanical, and corrosive stresses will drive further breakthroughs in aerospace materials reliability.

Conclusion

Comprehensive mechanical testing across static, dynamic, thermal, and multiaxial regimes is essential for advancing aerospace materials. Shimadzu’s modular instrumentation and synchronized data acquisition solutions deliver the precision and throughput required for modern materials development and certification. By enabling in-depth evaluation under realistic service conditions, these technologies support safer, lighter, and more efficient aerospace systems.