Thrust Frame Access Door Re-Design

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Date
2018-12-05
Authors
Mazur, Kevin
Sirant, Brett
Waschuk, Ellyn
Xing, Jimmy
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A re-design of the thrust frame access doors at the General Electric (GE) Aviation Testing, Research, and Development Center (TRDC) facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba was completed based on client specifications and requirements. This facility conducts outdoor icing tests as well as other commercial jet turbine engine certification tests [1]. Engine tests are performed by installing an engine on a thrust frame which is positioned in an outdoor wind tunnel. Within the thrust frame there is equipment that must be accessed and tested on a regular basis. Currently the equipment is reached via two access doors positioned on the underside of the thrust frame and above the engine. To open the access doors, the engine and engine beam must be lowered because the existing doors open downward and there is insufficient clearance between the access doors and engine beam. The lowering of the engine and engine beam in the event of regular testing or equipment failure is a four-hour process to complete. The purpose of the access door’s re-design was to provide operators access to the equipment within the thrust frame at all times without having to lower the installed engine. The final re-design of the thrust frame access doors consists of two horizontally sliding door panels designed to each cover half of the door frame opening. The motion is enabled via telescopic slides attached to a steel angle frame. Two sets of telescopic slides are utilized in the design to provide either half or full access to the equipment within the thrust frame while the engine is mounted. To allow for ease of operation, the access doors are made of sandwiched honeycomb panel, with stainless steel face sheet to maximize door strength and aluminum core to reduce weight. The weight of each door panel is 86 lbs. The re-design of the access doors meet client needs through providing full operator access to either side of the thrust frame, having telescopic slides that have a safe working load and safety factor of two, providing safe and ergonomic operation, and being able to withstand the environments of the wind tunnel.

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