Defence
Categories
P-FSM and M-FSM piezoelectric and magnetic fast steering mirrors
5 September 2023
To meet needs in air, space, defence & other embedded or demanding applications CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES (CTEC) bas developed for more than 20 years Fast Steering Mirrors (FSM). Typical applications are for example Lidar, free space optical communication (FSO) and Laser interferometry. As the specifications met in these applications can vary, CTEC bas designed and patented different actuation technologies:
– FSM based on Amplified Piezo Actuators APA®, as for PHARAO, ATLID, PSYCHE missions, and for future FSO space constellations as well as other large FSM for space & instrumentation as ESO ELT.
– FSM based on Magnetic Actuation, as being developed for FSO and CO-OP optical communication toward Geosat.
– FSM based on Stepping Piezo Actuators, as for IASI-NG for METOP-SG, as well as other piezomotor-based FSM.
The presentation describes the working principle, design and performance of these different actuation concepts.
New actuators for aircraft and space applications
7 January 2008
Actuators are key elements of air- and spacecrafts. In the recent years the concept of the more-electric aircraft pushed the development of electrical actuation systems to substitute hitherto used hydraulic actuators in a broad range of applications such as flight control, landing gear and brake actuation.
Experimental assesment and further development of amplified piezo actuators for active flap devices
6 January 2002
RPA (Rotor à Pales Actives) Franco-German project was launched three years ago to study the possible benefits of implementing active trailing edge flaps on a helicopter main rotor. The main expected effects concern the decrease of BVI noise in descent flight and the improvement of the dynamic behaviour of the rotor throughout the largest possible flight domain. The technological solution adopted to deflect the flap of an 1/3rd scale rotor demonstrator, uses an off-the-shelf elliptic amplified actuator, from Cedrat Recherche Company, driving an innovative patented mechanism.
Active flap device for helicopters based on Cedrat Amplified Piezoelectric Actuators
19 June 2023
A project called RPA (Rotor à Pales Actives) was launched three years ago to study the possible benefits of implementing active trailing edge flaps on a helicopter main rotor. The main objectives of this project are to decrease BVI noise in descent flight and improve the dynamic behavior of the rotor throughout the largest possible flight domain. After a first phase dedicated to the design of the best flap configuration at scale 1, the second phase of the project deals with the design of a wind-tunnel scale model of a rotor equipped with active flaps. An off-the-shelf piezo-electric actuator is used together with a specific patented flap-driving mechanism. Such an active device was tested under centrifugal loads as well as under aerodynamic loads in order to prepare future wind-tunnel tests. The results obtained under centrifugal loads allowed to clear the active device but the aerodynamic testing showed that some improvements were needed. Corresponding modifications are under way to fully clear the active device to be used on a complete rotor model.
Smart actuators for aircraft applications
4 January 2003
Smart actuators and intelligent structures receive a considerable interest in the fields of Air & Space, to realise new functions or more efficient functions than passive structures. In these fields, there are needs for actuation means offering high mechanical energy density (product of stroke and force divided by the mass), a low power consumption, a resistance to severe environment (such as vibrations) as well as other case by case needs : High resolution (embedded active optics for cameras and telescopes), fast response (active control of structures shape, active damping of vibration)…
ABC Rotor blades: design, manufacturing and testing
19 June 2023
ABC is the acronym for ‘’Active Blade Concept’’ and represents a 38% Mach scaled model rotor of the Advanced Technology Rotor (ATR) of Eurocopter Germany (ECD, [4]). In contrast to the ATR the model rotor is fully articulated. Specifically, it is equipped with a flap at the trailing edge of each blade, which is driven by a piezoelectric actuator. The ABC project is a cooperation between the French ONERA and the German DLR within the research concept ‘’The Active Rotor’’.