Start of GRACE experiments
On 16 December 2024, the time had finally come: GRACE, our gear loading test stand, went into testing operation. After a challenging and intense commissioning phase and the installation of special measurement technology by our partner Rolls-Royce Deutschland, we finally got the green light this Monday. The scientific investigations have begun with successful day-long test runs. The aim is to better understand the damage mechanisms of the gears. The focus is set on the possible progression of cracks, which isinitiated for this purpose by pre-damage to the gearwheel. As the results are the basis for the use of the gears in flight tests, this project is subject to high standards in terms of quality assurance. The required framework conditions were successfully achieved in advance.
The results obtained also serve to validate corresponding simulations for damage prediction. At the same time, new measurement methods are to be developed to detect gear damage during operation.
GRACE stands for Gear Crack Experiment and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection as part of the FLUEGGE project of the aviation research program (funding code 20T2101B). The requirements for the test rig were specified together with the project partner Rolls-Royce Deutschland. RENK Test System was responsible for the development and manufacture. The test rig is designed for testing highly loaded gears at 23,000 Nm and 4,500 rpm. This corresponds to a transmitted power of 10MW. It thus takes account of the growing interest in high-performance gearboxes for efficient aircraft engines and offers test conditions that are very close to real-life conditions.
DLR