Thermal Testing Process Complete on NASA’s X-57 Maxwell
Industry Related News: United States – January 2023:
The X-57 Maxwell is an all-electric aircraft designed to run on nothing more than electricity, allowing for a cleaner and more sustainable method of flight. Teams at NASA have been hard at work on the X-57 Maxwell, working to develop this revolutionary airplane that runs on rechargeable lithium batteries. This is possible thanks to a large amount of propellers, motors, and a noticeably compact size. The craft itself operates through the use of these batteries, which serve to drive the propellers and lift the plane. The controllers responsible for this deliver at an efficiency of 98%, meaning there is no excessive heat (as seen in other forms of flight), and that the motors can be easily cooled by airflow.
The aircraft recently underwent an extensive round of thermal testing, making an extremely important step towards launch. The thermal testing process was performed in order to ensure the temperature-sensitive aspects of the aircraft can survive the extreme conditions it will face once airborne. Vital aspects, including design, operability, workmanship, and more must be heavily tested to ensure that the airplane can withstand extreme weather conditions. Thanks to the dedicated team of engineers and pilots behind the development of the airplane, the components responded as expected at temperatures between negative 11 and positive 147 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now that testing is complete and the team is confident that the airplane can withstand these temperatures, the aircraft is one step closer to research flights. Thanks to thermal testing, projects like these are possible without costly failures and risks.
nasa.gov, “NASA’s X-57 Maxwell is Major Step Closer to Flight Readiness”, Accessed 01 February 2023
ABOUT KHOURY INDUSTRIES
Khoury Industries is a worldwide leader in temperature testing equipment for device characterization, thermal cycling equipment, and failure analysis. Khoury Industries designs and manufactures custom thermal chambers and microwave thermal testing fixtures used in a variety of industries including: military, space, automotive, medical, research, and communication fields. The Khoury Box and the patented ELI-1000 have quickly become industry favorites as thermal testing devices used to ensure the reliability of industrial and electronic products through prolonged exposure to extreme conditions.
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Penny Aicardi
Khoury Industries
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Our Thermal Testing & Cycling Devices
ELI-1000
A Remote, Compact Testing Solution
This revolutionary system combines a thermal source and custom or standard chamber into one system. The interchangeable chamber feature of the ELI-1000 allows users to easily accommodate their varying industry needs. The patented technology in the ELI-1000 allows for a steady state operation with a heating/cooling system that can be operated and controlled independently of each other.
Khoury Box
RF, Microwave Thermal testing
Controlling temperature with precision at the device case is a major benefit of the Khoury Box thermal test fixture. The DUT is isolated in a localized enclosure (at temperature) with the thermal air circulated around the device under test or DUT. Tester interface utilizes impedance-matched connections to ensure true and accurate test signals between the tester, the thermal test fixture, and the DUT.