What is it about?
A balance is, essentially, a six dimensional load cell. Each load dimension has it's own non-linear calibration. The accuracy of each load varies depending on what the values of all six loads are. It is therefore a problem when it comes to evaluating a balance's accuracy, or even declaring that a balance has been correctly installed and is functioning "as expected". This paper introduces an approach that is an alternative, (or extension), to evaluation through the application of a number of known loads to a balance followed by the application of statistically derived metrics which are taken from the original balance calibration data.
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Why is it important?
Any knowledge regarding the precision and accuracy of an instrument is important. This knowledge leads to improved instrument selection, improved understanding/interpretation of test results, and is the mechanism which enables the process of continual improvement.
Perspectives
The use of ANOVA on balance calibration data in order to obtain statistical metrics does provide some insight into the accuracy of a particular balance but only at a rudimentary level. I believe that the "force function" approach, as is suggested in this paper, can lead to a set of "independent", "calibration-independent" and "secondary-standard-referenced" balance design evaluation metrics.
Mr Peter PM Bidgood
CSIR
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Balance Evaluation and Installation-Checks using Dead Weight Roll- and Pitch-Polars, January 2017, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2017-0774.
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