AVIATION SAFETY
Various kinds of environmental testing for Aircraft Equipment

Temperature / Altitude / Humidity Icing Test Chamber

Reproduce altitude 52,000 feet

Temperature / Altitude / Humidity Icing Test Chamber evaluates the safety and reliability of aircraft equipment. This test chamber is like a huge refrigerator capable of adjusting barometric pressure. It reproduces barometric pressure, temperature and humidity of an aircraft, taking off through landing, inside the tank. Compare to the Explosion Proof Test Chamber featured in the previous issue, the characteristics of this test chamber is its ability to reproduce temperature change and low-temperature condition.
This chamber can reproduce altitude equivalent to 52,000 feet (16,000 meters), and change the barometric pressure in the range of 101.3 to 10.7 kPa, the temperature in the range of 100 to -70 degree C, and the humidity in the range of 20 to 90% RH.

Conform to RTCA DO-160G

Test standards comply with RTCA DO-160G Sec.24 and Japanese Industrial standards, JIS W 0812 (Airborne equipment - Environmental conditions and test procedures). Icing testing has not complied with DO-160G at this time but has basic specifications and enables testing if adds some optional functions such as spraying.

Based on Tamagawa’s advices

This test chamber is manufactured by a major environmental equipment manufacturer in Japan, Espec Corporation in Osaka. Tamagawa gave full support to its implementation planning and advised on the specifications as a main advisor of the working group.
This test chamber was introduced at S-BIRD in 2017 and Tamagawa frequently uses this test chamber for qualification / verification testing for sensors, motors, actuators and levers. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) also has a similar testing chamber, but in terms of the public accessibility, this test chamber at S-BIRD is the largest test chamber in Japan.

Specifications

Flammability and Fire-resistance Testing Equipment

Prevent fire in aircraft and secure time for evacuation

There is 8 different chambers for flammability and fire-resistance testing at S-BIRD. All of these chambers are manufactured by Merlin Engineering (USA). In Japan, they are the only public chambers specialized in aircraft equipment.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established regulations that all passengers and crewmembers can be evacuated within 90 seconds in an emergency. It is necessary for aircraft equipment not only to have fire resistance but also to suppress the smoke and toxic gas generation.