Composite materials engineers Tods Aerospace Limited have commissioned a new high-tech 'test laboratory' specifically to validate the structural performance of aerospace parts being supplied for commercial and military aircraft.  

As an extension of the Company's on-going investment in computer-aided design and development capabilities, the new £200k. air-conditioned laboratory incorporates Non Destructive Test facilities that are optimised for the inspection of composite components and includes ultrasonic flaw detectors and resonance bond integrity equipment.   T

he laboratory has also been equipped with mechanical test facilities that allow the strength, and other key properties, of composite materials to be evaluated across a temperature range of – 70°C to +300°C. This equipment is complemented by a high performance microscope and image analysis system that is capable of measuring fibre/resin ratio, void contents and other parameters that affect the performance of composite components.  

Two additional Test Engineers have joined the design and development team.  

On commissioning the new test laboratory, Simon Finch, CEO Tods Aerospace Limited stated: "The successful design and production of composites is all about the attention to minute detail. This invaluable new facility will allow us to validate our processes and products not only at the pre-production stage, but also throughout the production process. The laboratory enables us at Tods to give complete confidence to our customers that the product they want is the product they get"