Cobham's EM design software optimizes lightning-strike tests
Finite element techniques easily generate accurate models of complex assembled airframes.
-- Test & Measurement World, 11/27/2009 7:00:00 AM
Lightning-strike tests of a helicopter at Eurocopter's Donauworth facility have verified the accuracy of finite-element analysis techniques for characterizing the electromagnetic behavior of complete and custom-cabled modern aircraft structures constructed of advanced composite materials. The exercise was performed using the Opera electromagnetic design software from Cobham Technical Services for the ILDAS (In-flight Lightning Strike Damage Assessment System) research project.
Simulation of ILDAS tests highlighted how finite element techniques can easily generate accurate models of complex assembled airframes and simulate the effects of lightning strikes rapidly—in about a day on a standard office PC—to help developers evaluate and optimize lightning protection measures during the design cycle.
Opera software was employed to predict lightning-strike current flow patterns on structures with carbon-fiber composite materials. This knowledge helped ILDAS partners to select the best locations for sensors and then compare current-flow predictions against actual measurements. To achieve this goal, Cobham Technical Services generated an electromagnetic design model of a specific airframe configuration for an EC135 helicopter using CAD files from Eurocopter. This part of the exercise mainly involved simplifying noncritical parts of the original design data in order to minimize simulation times, while maintaining good representations of critical elements, such as metal space frames and surface panels, carbon composite panels, electrical bonding and cable harnesses-including those for client-specific equipment.
"Airframe structures making extensive use of composite materials have less natural protection against lightning," said John Hardwick of Cobham Technical Services, Lightning Testing & Consultancy. "As lightning-protection measures, such as conductive coatings or strips, add weight, it's important to optimize the design, and simulation provides an effective means of achieving this."
John Simkin of Cobham Technical Services, Vector Fields Software, added, "These real-life tests of ILDAS's embedded-monitoring-system concept illustrate how airframe-specific lightning protection can now be accurately evaluated and optimized during the design cycle. Finite-element techniques make it easy to model complex airframe surfaces and important electrical details. The functionality of the Opera geometric modeler made it simple to accept CAD files and reduce the complexity of noncritical elements to ensure rapid simulation."
For more information about the ILDAS research project and its partners, go to http://ildas.nlr.nl.
Cobham Technical Services, www.cobham.com.
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