After investing in a vibration test system, the engineering team at Carlisle Interconnect Technologies has benefitted greatly from its new range of testing capabilities.

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies' aircraft rack and tray systems are made and tested for aircraft manufacturers, in the Franklin, Wisconsin facility, in the United States of America. This is also where the vibration test facility is located and where the engineering team performs sound and vibration testing for members of the Carlisle group, as well as outside companies – to whom they also offer their services.

The system mainly tests designs during research and development (R&D), especially for complete lifecycle simulation, generally based on industry-standard test profiles. As with anything related to aerospace, exacting detail and specified tests according to customer and industry standards are performed, including shock testing to simulate events such as an aircraft's undercarriage experiencing a tyre blowout on the runway.

The Franklin engineering team uses the vibration test system, supplied by Brüel & Kjær VTS, to test connectors, wiring harnesses, metal modules and fittings. Thanks to the time savings that the system has enabled - and the testing services work for third-party aerospace customers - Manager of Airframe & OEM Equipment Engineering, Jeff Behlendorf is pleased with their recent acquisition: "It was commissioned just six months ago and has already paid for itself," he said.

During testing of the aluminium trays shown in the picture, the size and mass of the load that they will endure in actual use are simulated. With the choice of using the slip table or the head of the V875 shaker itself, they can accommodate many different products and a variety of test types.