Team Members & Role:

Jake Simon: Team Lead

Ryan McGroarty: Analysis Lead

Cade Lanzafame: Design Lead

Matt Timakov: Fabrication Lead

Sam Bui: Evaluation Lead

Abstract: This project aims to provide a solution to dynamically balance general aviation wheel assemblies. Out-of-balance wheel assemblies on general aviation aircraft can cause maintenance and operating issues related to wear, vibration, and pilot fatigue. Currently, no dynamic balancing systems suitable for general aviation aircraft wheel assemblies exist. However, aircraft maintenance facilities already have dynamic propeller balancing systems, such as a DynaVibe system. To solve this issue, a dynamic balancing system was designed that will be able to adapt existing propeller balancing products to balance an aircraft wheel assembly safely and effectively by a mechanic. The balancing system is a single-plane, soft-balancer configuration, where a vertical shaft is supported by pillow block bearings with allowable controlled movement by rubber isolators. A mechanic operates the machine from a guarded control panel to spin wheel assemblies at ~350 RPM. Using the accelerometer and digital tachometer from the propeller vibration analyzing system, the system identifies the magnitude and location of mass imbalance on a tire, which is corrected with adhesive weights.

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