Esterline

May 2005 to August 2006
Sector:
Aero Components and Aircraft equipment Manufacturing Co.

Overview:
Owner of the mechanical aspects in a small team evolving to maturity an industrial jet engine (Avon) speed sensor concept for detecting engine compressor blades. 
Steering the electro-mechanical packaging design and drawings and authoring much of the document pack for substantiation, environmental qualification documentation, and retro-fit procedure.
Equipment scope in context with the 'Avon' engine
Work comprised:
Engine vibration data collection.
Component performance analysis and evolution.
Bolting calcs to ensure tightness under vibration.
Design refinement by FEA.
Material selections compliant to CoSHH.
Natural frequencies.
FMEAs and Fault Tree analysis.
Customer teleconferencing and NPI Gate reviews.
The next few images show the principle of the technology.
Interim Sensor unit for initial tests.
Illustration of the sensor principle - blades shown yellow.
Line diagram of the sensor principle.
Justification for the project was to reducuce engine 'downtime'. Sensor unit shown blue in the image, with the sensor stubbs at face of engine case.
Top trace shows engine revs, while the bottom two traces show speed fluctuation traces. Bottom trace is that from the new sensor, and gives tighter control than the old mechanical gearbox sensor, also leading to better fuel economy.
Full details of this role:
1/ Responsible for evolving the mechanical aspects of a partially developed speed sensor unit in to a deliverable customer product capable of overcoming engine vibration and compressor blade flutter / jitter.
2/ Two immature and separate test bed concepts (PCB and Sensor probes) were developed in to a single robust unit complete with documents, drawing pack, and instructions / procedures to retro fit the sensor.
3/ Extensive authorship of various specifications – environmental vibration and thermal test specifications to establish natural frequencies and durability of sub-assemblies, qualification test specs, and design assurance specs.
4/ Use of BAAN MRP to create Parts for Bills of Material (BoM.)
Signatory for the mechanical engineering aspects required on the NPI ‘New Product Introduction’ schedule and Drawing ‘log book’ control.
5/ Routine group input with customer teleconferences, FMEA’s, Fault Tree analysis, NPI gate reviews, and Project Management processes.
Contributed to process measurable production methods for the sensor coils by establishing the tests to be conducted during manufacture.
6/ Responsible for the logistics of testing the unit at a customer site in Aberdeen to gather signal data and engine vibration data.
Collected Accelerometer data using ‘Labview’ software to understand and improve microphony in the coil / magnet assemblies.
7/ Did the bolting calculations to ensure reliable tightness in a vibrating environment and had significant involvement with the cable harness design, and selection of a coil ‘potting compounds’ to comply with COSHH.
8/ Contributed s/w algorithm ideas to reduce signal ‘noise.’ and had involvement in a secondary speed probe project – primarily with qualification / performance / compliance / design performance documentation.
Part of the installation information
Document author - component selection justification in this case.
Other images associated with this role:
Documet authoring
More installation information
Assembly drwing of main parts
Vibration performance graph - part of qualification.
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