569. A Universal Facility for Mass Properties Measurement

Paper

Abstract

The methods and equipment used, at the present time, for the measurement of the mass properties of an object have evolved from simple laboratory devices to rather sophisticated systems. However, with a few exceptions, these systems such as weighing instruments, pendulums, spin balancers and the like are independent devices each one requiring its own instrumentation, fixturing, and measurement set up. Analysis of the types of systems being used has indicated that the functions of the various systems could be combined into one universal facility. Rather than being a compromise, because of its universality, this facility could exhibit improved accuracy and operating convenience. This improvement would result from minimization of positioning errors, and optimization of certain instrumentation and mechanical features. The latter is possible since it becomes economically feasible to utilize certain rather expensive devices when their use is shared in several types of measurements. The objective of the universal facility program at Miller Research Corporation has been the achievement of the above design and performance characteristics.
The development of the universal mass properties facility should provide a useful tool to the missile and space industry. It should permit the routine measurement and control of mass property parameters to an order of accuracy previously achieved only in special Laboratory setups. In addition it will permit measurements on a variety of test objects with only fixturing changes required and thus eliminate the ‘development’ program previously necessary to devise a measurement setup for each different object to be measured.