WhirlTrak
The Helitune WhirlTrak™ system is a totally integrated solution for the measurement of rotor blade track upon whirl tower test stands.
Description
The system comprises Helitune’s RT-TipTrak line scan tracking camera, a 1/Rev indexing sensor, and a base station PC system running Helitune’s WhirlTrak control software and results in the management database.
The system can be integrated with discrete I/O logic from the rotor tower control system for precise rotor tower test condition identification. In addition, the system provides a real-time digital data stream output that can be integrated with additional third-party control systems. Interfaces are provided for the integration of an optional CCTV camera and wind measurement system to supplement the WhirlTrak data if required.
The Helitune WhirlTrak™ controller software, which runs on the base station PC system, is responsible for all system control, measurement, and data management functions. The system provides a continuous real-time interface, allowing both live and averaged track output readings. A single system installation can support multiple rotor blade types and test profiles, which are configured independently against the requirements of each blade type. The system automatically configures the Helitune RT-TipTrak measurement camera, based on the selected blade type and measurement procedure, providing for reliable and error-proof system operation. The Helitune WhirlTrak controller software supports access control for administrator and operator levels, allowing system configuration parameters to be available to the system administrator only.
All measurement results are stored in a Microsoft® SQL results database, which allows for reliable data archiving, data retrieval, and output reporting. The user interface has full integration with Microsoft Excel for results export, allowing operators the flexibility to generate unique output report template profiles.
Product specification
Track Measurement Display | Continuous Real-Time |
Averaged Rotor Trak Resolution | Better than ±0.254mm (±0.010 inch)* |
Rotor RPM Measurement Range | 60RPM to 1200RPM |
I/O Interfaces | Digital I/O interface to Rotor Tower Control System for tower state recognition (collective pitch interface) |
Digital serial broadcast interface for transmission of track results to third-party systems | |
Operating Temperature | -20°C to +60°C for all Rotor Tower mounted hardware |
* Note: Stated accuracy achievable depends upon the physical installation characteristics of the individual rotor tower.