AE351

LAB REPORT
Name Atul Jain Roll No. 13171 Group G4
Objective:
To study the calibration procedure of a five component force balance which is generally
used to measure the aerodynamic forces acting on a test model.

Introduction:
The balance is an integral RAE type with a maximum diameter of 15 mm and a length of
210mm. a simple calibration rig is used for calibrating the balance. A 5 digital
microprocessor based digital voltmeter has been employed to collect the output data from
the strain gage bridges with a resolution of 1 micro-volt. The excitation voltage is also
monitored by DVM. Direct acting dead weights has been used for calibration.
In order to load the balance accurately during calibration, it is necessary to have calibration
body which will transmit the loads to the balance in the same manner as the model would
transmit the loads during the tunnel run. Loading points on the calibration body are
precisely located, such that they act at stations N1, N2, S1 and S2 where individual loads N1,
N2 etc. can be applied. Similarly provision is available for applying pure positive axial force.

Apparatus:

Five component force balance

Calibration body
Calibration rig
Precise level gauge
Dead weights
NI SCXI-1520
NI SCXI-1314
Data acquisition card
Labview software

Procedure:

The calibration body is fixed to the model end of the balance.

The calibration body is loaded with only one component of the load say, N1 or N2 in
steps and output of all the bridges (N1, N2, S1, S2, RM) are noted.

For applying N1 and N2 the calibration body must be so oriented, that the vertical
loads due to the dead weights would be in the direction of N1 or N2.
Adjust the roll orientation of the calibration body to be zero by adjusting the labeling
screws of the calibration rig. The top of the calibration body has to be made
horizontal even under load.
Pure positive N1 and N2 loads can be applied individually by applying dead weights
to the pans attached to the calibration body. Negative N1 and N2 loads can be
applied by rotating the balance along with the calibration body by 180o.
For getting the loads at remaining positions above procedure has to be repeated.

Output:
The output from each of the bridges for every loading is acquired by a FLUKE make 5 digit
microprocessor based DVM having a resolution of +1 micro-volt. The excitation voltage was
also monitored by this DVM. All the output voltages are normalized with respect to the
monitored excitation voltage. A linear least square fit for the variation of the normalized
outputs with respect to a particular load component is obtained. When the loading on the
balance involves all the components of the load, the outputs in the bridges are given by,
[E] = [C][F]
Where
[E] is the output matrix
[C] is the matrix of calibration coefficients.
[F] is the force matrix.
Or
[C]-1[O] = [F]
So, using the inverse matrix of the calibration coefficients and the measured outputs from
the bridges, the unknown forces can be calculated.

Table
Loading N1 positive
Weight
(kg)
0
2.0021
4.0044
6.0071
8.0095
8.0095
10.0123
12.01215
13.00875
12.01215
10.0123
8.0095
6.0071
4.0044
2.0021
0

N1 (mv/v)

N2 (mv/v)

S1 (mv/v)

S2 (mv/v)

-0.000069
0.195798
0.392369
0.588412
0.785143
0.78517
0.981168
1.177313
1.274719
1.176653
0.980803
0.785054
0.588282
0.391925
0.195732
-0.000818

-0.000023
0.001711
0.003258
0.00517
0.006508
0.006506
0.008684
0.01045
0.011842
0.011506
0.009769
0.007587
0.006392
0.004585
0.002857
0.001351

0
-0.002996
-0.006038
-0.008729
-0.011403
-0.011404
-0.014062
-0.01682
-0.018072
-0.016642
-0.014065
-0.011157
-0.008329
-0.005349
-0.002438
0.000551

-0.000001
0.000223
0.000353
0.000487
0.000648
0.00067
0.000838
0.000979
0.001082
0.000983
0.000862
0.000685
0.000548
0.000481
0.000271
0.000163

R (mv/v)
0.000057
0.00011
0.000341
0.000548
0.000803
0.000633
0.000926
0.000886
0.001046
0.001306
0.000764
0.000464
0.000359
0.000333
0.000264
0.000349

Table
Loading N2 positive
Weight
(kg)
0
2.0021
4.0044
6.0071
8.0095
10.0123
12.01215
13.00875
12.01215
10.0123
8.0095
6.0071
4.0044
2.0021
0

N1 (mv/v)

N2 (mv/v)

S1 (mv/v)

S2 (mv/v)

0.000011
0.00239
0.004752
0.0071
0.009084
0.011477
0.013516
0.014266
0.013354
0.011512
0.009412
0.007176
0.004755
0.00233
-0.000036

0.000021
0.190564
0.381421
0.572384
0.763668
0.954577
1.145865
1.241307
1.14621
0.955316
0.764416
0.573483
0.382802
0.191915
0.000983

-0.000008
0.000275
0.000509
0.000712
0.000991
0.001242
0.00147
0.001578
0.001426
0.001237
0.000995
0.000747
0.000562
0.000314
0.000091

0.000019
0.001478
0.00286
0.004171
0.00524
0.00667
0.007893
0.008532
0.007448
0.007107
0.005702
0.004515
0.003051
0.001818
0.000583

R (mv/v)
0.000065
0.001112
0.002415
0.003697
0.004782
0.005954
0.006822
0.007573
0.00685
0.005884
0.005067
0.003594
0.002692
0.001538
0.000194

LOADING N1 Force

Slope of the line is: 0.0979mV/V/Kg

Slope of the line is: 0.00091mV/V/Kg

Slope of the line is: - 0.00139mV/V/Kg

Slope of the line is: 0.00008mV/V/Kg

Slope of the line is: 0.000058mV/V/Kg

LOADING N2 Force

Slope of the line is: 0.00114mV/V/Kg

Slope of the line is: 0.0954 mV/V/Kg

Slope of the line is: 0.00012mV/V/Kg

Slope of the curve is: 0.00067mV/V/Kg

Slope of the line is: 0.00059mV/V/Kg

The matrix of calibration coefficients [C] can be written in terms of slopes as

Load
N1
N2
S1
S2
O/P
*N1
0.0979
0.00114
*N2
0.00091
0.0954
*S1
-0.00139
0.00012
*S2
0.00008
0.00067
**Rm
0.000058
0.00059
*mV/V/Kg
**mV/V/Kgmm

RM

Determination of the loads on the body from the balance output

The loads about the balance center have to be determined using the following equations.
NB = N1 + N2
SB = S1 + S2
AB = A
MxB = Rm
MyB = (N1-N2)*I
MzB = (S1-S2)*I
Where the subscript B indicates the forces and moments about the balance center.
To find the distance L from the reference point M from the balance center
NM = NB
SM = S B
AM = A B
MxM = MxB
MyM = MyB + NB * L
MzM = MzB + SB * L

Conclusion:
The outputs measured from the individual bridges are found to be linear with respect to the
corresponding loadings.