Element opens aerospace testing laboratory in Melbourne, Florida

Element Materials Technology has opened a new 20,000ft², state-of-the-art laboratory in Melbourne, Florida specialising in environmental, dynamics and electromagnetic interference (EMI) testing.

The RTCA DO-160 and MIL-STD 810/461 Testing Center of Technical Excellence, an investment of $2 million, offers a full range of environmental, dynamic and EMI testing capabilities to customers in the aerospace, defence and industrial markets. The laboratory features over 50 pieces of test equipment, including three new EMI chambers, dynamic shaker systems, a wide range of environmental chambers (including icing), salt fog enclosures and driving sand & dust equipment.

Rick Sluiters, EVP aerospace at Element, commented: “This new facility was borne out the merger of our two smaller existing laboratories in Melbourne, alongside the transfer of environmental equipment from our laboratory in Jupiter, Florida. We wanted to create a state-of-the-art testing Center of Technical Excellence that provides our customers with the full range of environmental, dynamics and EMI testing under one roof, saving them time and money and providing higher operational efficiency.

“This investment also allowed us to grow our footprint in our Jupiter laboratory which is a Center of Excellence for Fuel systems, Hydraulic and Pneumatic test simulation and offers highly-specialised services such as extreme environment simulation, hydraulics and pneumatics component and system simulation, bird-strike, ballistic impact, and fire testing.”

Element’s Environmental and EMI testing capabilities help customers make certain that the products they deliver, whether for civil or military aircraft, can withstand the most demanding electromagnetic, climatic and mechanical environments to ensure they are safe, quality, compliant and fit for purpose.

With a global footprint of ISO 17025 accredited laboratories, leading-edge engineering expertise and state-of-the-art testing capabilities, including reverberation and direct illumination HIRF, wind-milling vibration and 3kHz high g vibration, Element can replicate the increasingly more severe electromagnetic and environmental conditions being demanded by its customers and their supply chain partners in aerospace.

www.element.com