Aircraft Wheels
Andec installed one of its first semiautomatic eddy current wheel testers at an airline wheel and brake shop in 1984. To show you photographs and descriptions of some of the latest models of the ‘Andec Wheeltester’ just click on one of the items in the following list. With its advanced and operator friendly features, it has always been, and still is, considered the best and most favourite one available, as shown by the fact that there are more ‘Andec Wheeltesters’ in operation than all others combined.
The ‘Andec Tiebolt Tester’ detects much shallower cracks than any Eddy Current tester, in less than ten seconds per bolt, without the need for a certified operator and test results are stored in its computer memory.
Worldwide ‘Firsts’ in Eddy Current
Aircraft Wheel Testing by Andec
Andec patented the Eddy Current ‘Contour Probe’, specially designed for aircraft wheel testing, shortly after Andec’s incorporation in 1979. It provides the most sensitive crack detection on the tube well and throughout the bead seat radius. It is still used, in the improved form, on the Andec Wheel Tester today.
Automated Eddy Current Aircraft Wheel Tester, using the contour probe with the active scanning area widened to 25mm to provide the fastest wheel testing available, now detects both inside and surface defects during the same scan.
Motor driven heavy steel disk turntable for wheel rotation, with hard chrome plated and polished surface, providing effortless sliding of the wheel across it, without marring the wheel surface.
Specially shaped, plated and polished wheel hold down cone, pneumatically driven to securely keep each wheel in the center of the rotating turntable during scanning, even at very high rotation speed.
Instant stopping of the wheel rotation by means of an innovative braking system, activated by surround guarding safety light curtains, approved worldwide by operator protecting agencies (no awkward frame to move up and down).
Control of all system functions by built in computer and continuously updated sophisticated software, providing the easiest operator friendly operation with most complete scan result data, and analysis.
Two large (21’) colour displays, to monitor and change the Eddy Current instrument settings on one, and show the scan results in real time on the other, while the wheel is being scanned. They are conveniently mounted in front of the operator, at eye level, without the use of a mounted stand, to provide unobstructed access all around the turntable.
Archiving for later recall and analysis of all wheel and scan result data.
After installation, specialized engineers at Andec always have remote access to all system functions for operator back up assistance and technical support, anywhere in the world.
Built in colour printer, to provide a hard copy printout if the scan results show internal or surface defects after completion of the test. Can be kept with the wheel for later review by senior personnel.
Testing of half or whole wheels, loose or bolted together, without system changeover.
A novel means of accurately indicating the exact location of a detected defect in the wheel surface after the completion of the test scan.
The Andec Wheeltester
Andec produces several different models of manual, semi-automatic and automatic computer-controlled Eddy Current aircraft wheel crack detection systems. The advanced, yet continuously updated and improved ‘Andec Wheeltester’, is already installed at well over one hundred and fifty airline wheel and brake shops, as well as most inspection service companies around the world, with more added continuously.
With the experience gained from manufacturing the ‘Andec Wheeltester’ for over thirty years, Andec uses components that have proven to provide the longest service life, to assure the user anywhere in the world, many years of trouble-free operation.
All models of the ‘Andec Wheeltester’ are supplied with the ability to test any of the aircraft wheels presently in use, from the smallest to the largest, testing half or whole wheels for defects in the outer as well as in the inner wheel surfaces, and meeting the requirements of safety regulations with provision of unobtrusive overhead safety light curtains, as one of many available options.
The Andec Wheeltester with End Controls
With this advanced Andec Wheeltester, the operator can control all functions mounted on this front panel, while standing at the end of the system close to the turntable. At eye level are two large colour displays, one showing the instrument settings and one showing the test results, in real time. The quick set up twenty-one button keypad is also mounted at this easy access level, all on adjustable pivoting arms. Even the built in main keyboard and the colour printer are readily accessible from behind hinged covers.
When mounted in a roller conveyor, as shown in the attached sketch, this Wheeltester is positioned so that the operator can quickly, and easily, slide even the heaviest wheel from the conveyor on one side, across the smooth plated and polished turntable, to the conveyor on the other side.
As on all models of the “Andec Wheeltester” safety light curtains protect the three open sides around the turntable.
This protective system arrangement together with the newly developed positive braking system, is now approved by all world regulatory bodies. When one of these light curtains is interrupted, the braking system almost instantly stops the wheel on the turntable from rotating. The operator has unobstructed access to move the wheel along across the turntable without having to raise and lower an awkward safety frame, or mounting poles holding displays getting in the way.
Unique ‘New’ Testing System for Fast Automatic Crack Detection in Aircraft Wheel Tie Bolts
Automatically inspects each bolt in the thread, head radius and shank areas, under pre-set computer control, in less than ten seconds.
Detects shallow cracks, even under damaged or debris filled threads, and shallower cracks than any other NDT equipment can detect under regular clean threads.
Stores scan results and bolt data for archiving, to keep track of bolt and later review at next testing.
Operator does not need special skills or certification according to NAS 410, because system reads out “Pass/Fail” after completion of test on large colour display, without operator input.
Built in colour inkjet printer to provide printout if scan results show defects, can be kept with faulty bolt for later review by other personnel.
