Safety is an integral part of every aspect of the aerospace sector, which is why industry standards are so rigorous. Trelleborg Sealing Solutions recognised there was a growing need for manufacturers to meet varying fire test requirements. To support customers in doing this the company has recently opened a dedicated fire test facility.
The fire test centre, which is located in Northborough, Massachusetts in the US, specialises and executes in-house testing for Trelleborg’s aerospace products. The state-of-the-art site was created to specifically provide extensive capabilities in meeting varying fire test requirements, as well as vibration and airflow criteria, in line with industry and customer standards.
Trelleborg is among only a few seal manufacturers that deliver comprehensive in-house qualification testing, which now includes fireproof and fire resistance testing. The centre conducts customer specific tests to meet a variety of qualification requirements such as ISO/TR 2685, which calls for vibration and flame exposure of +1,100°C/+2,000°F for 15 minutes without allowing flame penetration or other defined failure modes.
Housing test benefits
There are many benefits of offering in-house testing capabilities, including speed and cost-efficiency.
“As a global leader in sealing solutions, Trelleborg is thrilled to be able to offer customers a fire test facility that will considerably speed up the development of products without the delays involved in submitting to a third-party facility for validation,” says Quinn Collett, the general manager of Trelleborg’s Aerospace Hub for Airframe components.
“This approach strengthens Trelleborg’s focus on its research and development initiatives and technical improvement capabilities. The fire test facility fits well with the existing Global Marketing Aerospace test capabilities, which comprise a multitude of test rigs specific to aerospace seal applications.”
Trelleborg’s Turel Fireflex range of fire seals is compliant with all stringent requirements and tests show the products are capable of withstanding temperature extremes for a period of 30 minutes, which is double the specified time needed.
The global company maintains its success in advancing aerospace fire seal technology due to extensive material development programs and the ability to customise a seal design precisely so that it matches specific application and installation parameters.
Proprietary Trelleborg fire seal designs, which have been developed internally and tested using in the in-house fire testing capabilities, significantly outperform all generic seal options currently available to the aerospace market.
“Trelleborg can assist customers in developing the ideal qualification test plans and procedures with customers picking which tests they need to have as proof of the capabilities of their products,” says Collett.
“Such a modular and forward-thinking approach helps speed up response and development time while keeping costs down. Typical applications can include aircraft interiors, engine fire seals and ancillary components such as oil pumps and hydraulic systems.”
The Massachusetts facility is the latest to join Trelleborg’s global aerospace network. Trelleborg also has aerospace centres in the UK, France and China, which all offer extensive manufacturing capabilities, full testing and required qualifications needed to meet virtually all industry approvals.
Trelleborg’s aerospace-focused production sites have been moving from low volume single piece manufacturing into high quantity mass production that meets the market demands for parts and efficiency. Sites have numerous accreditations such as ISO 9001, AS/EN9100 and Nadcap, in addition to specific customer certifications.
Trelleborg’s personnel provide a dedicated service to each and every customer, which include leading names in the industry, from prime airframe manufacturers to tier one suppliers and aero engine manufacturers.
