ANN ARBOR, Mich. — At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh later this month, TECAT Performance Systems will demonstrate the first commercially available wireless sensor capable of measuring in-flight torque data on experimental aircraft with real-time results.
TECAT will show the WISER 4000 wireless torque measurement system used to gather this data, and demonstrate the system’s installation and operation.
A Saber Manufacturing propeller extension instrumented with the WISER 4000 will be on view, as well as the first experimental aircraft to undergo WISER wireless performance testing: The Relentless NXT, owned and flown by Kevin Eldredge.
“TECAT has already demonstrated the capabilities of our WISER wireless sensor systems in automotive, industrial, and energy applications, so in 2016 we’ve turned our attention to aviation — and in particular, the needs of people building or maintaining piston-powered experimental aircraft,” said Don Keating, vice president of business development at TECAT Performance Systems. “Test results on the Relentless NXT have confirmed that the WISER system can measure torque and horsepower in flight with extraordinarily high resolution, opening up many new capabilities for engine health monitoring and more.”
The WISER 4000 is comprised of three subsystems. The remote unit consists of the data capture electronics connected to Micro-Measurements strain gauges, a transceiver, and a long-life battery. The base unit plugs directly into a PC USB port and houses an antenna, transceiver, and up to four analog outputs. The WISER Data Viewer software is used for system configuration and calibration, live monitoring, and data logging. The WISER 4000 enables positive and negative shunt calibration with two independent shunt calibration legs using 100 kilohms resistors.
In addition to measuring torque, the WISER 4000 has the optional ability to measure 3-axis acceleration, barometric pressure, and ambient temperature.
On-board data logging with triggering capability allows high-resolution data to be collected on the remote unit without PC or DAQ connectivity, while remote flash enables firmware upgrades without removing the system from the unit under test.
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