Rope access testing skills solve problem at Rolls-Royce

Citation

(2003), "Rope access testing skills solve problem at Rolls-Royce", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 75 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2003.12775aaf.008

Rope access testing skills solve problem at Rolls-Royce

Rope access testing skills solve problem at Rolls-Royce

Keywords: Aerospace, Engines, Testing

Roped access specialists, HRS Services, recently completed an NDT survey on a high-value structure used to test Rolls-Royce aero-engines.

When inspection and materials testing specialists, CoMech secured a contract to inspect the panels of a golf-ball shaped engine test rig at Rolls-Royce, Hucknall, Notts, UK, they developed a new test method to identify the extent of their delamination. When the panels delaminate the resulting fragments could be sucked into the jet engines being tested, causing extensive damage resulting in a costly replacement programme (Plate 3).

Each panel in the test rig is unique in terms of size and fixing details and with lead times for replacement being up to 3 weeks, to avoid costly down time, accurate failure prediction is essential.

Plate 3 HRS technicians working on the Rolls-Royce test rig

The panels are so fragile that scaffolding to access them might in itself have caused damage, so CoMech inspectors use a light alloy tower to inspect them. However those panels in the crown could not be reached from the tower so the company called in HRS Services who used their extensive experience in rope access inspection and testing of high level structures, to complete the job.

HRS technicians, who are fully qualified and experienced in both ASNT ultrasonic and IRATA testing techniques, utilised modern rope access techniques to complete the job and the project was such a success that CoMech and HRS Services have been retained to carry out repeat surveys on a regular basis.

Details available from: HRS Services Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 114 272 3004.