Seeded-Fault Spin-Testing of an Active Rotor Electromechanical Actuator and Mechanism

Seeded-fault spin-test results are presented on a representative active rotor system equipped with a prognostics and health management (PHM) sensor suite. Backlash in the mechanism and faults associated with the high-authority electromechanical actuator used to drive the system are investigated. The sensor arrangement used shows the ability to detect and potentially estimate the extent of mechanical backlash at nearly any point in the mechanism. The actuator sensor suite showed the ability to detect multiple independent faults associated with loss of oil, the presence of metallic debris, and oil contamination/ discoloration. The PHM strategy employed on this test article involved a fairly large number of sensors. The results from this study suggest a more optimal strategy whereby the number of sensors can be reduced while maintaining the ability to detect the faults mentioned above.