NSMS Fundamentals

• Overview
• Externally Mounted Senors
• Various Measurement Capabilities
• Event Time Determination
• Arrival Times to Deflection Conversion
• Deflection to Stress Conversion
• Complete System Characterization
• Flexible Test Scheduling
• Synchronous Realtime Analysis
• Non-Synchronous Realtime Analysis
• High Cycle Fatigue

Complete System Characterization

The ability of NSMS to "see" every blade provides valuable data on the system behavior of a response. The software system can be categorized into 3 main components. The first component includes all software which is used during test setup. This includes simulating expected responses, optimizing probe locations, and building Campbell diagrams. The second component is our Real Time analysis, which has the capability of analyzing both non-synchronous (buffet, flutter, stall/surge) and synchronous (single and multiple resonant response with full amplitude, phase, frequency, and damping calculations) responses as they occur on a test. The final component is the Offline Analysis. This component includes all post processing. In addition to including the same synchronous and non-synchronous data analysis, Offline provides data conditioning, batch analysis, presentation generators, and an abundance of data reduction calculations meant to give the user a maximum description of a blade or blade system's dynamic characteristics.

Engine Health Monitoring

The robust case mounted characteristics of the NSMS probes also allow for use as a health monitoring sensor.

• FOD detection
• Blade crack detection (click to see video!) through changes in the HCF behavior
• Erosion monitoring
• Flutter detection
• Rotor rotational changes from bearing degradation

Field Investigations

NSMS probes can be developed for standard engine borescope ports. This allows for rapid field investigations, significantly reducing the pre-test timetable.