PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
high-definition imaging
The fast and often explosive nature of testing in the
aerospace industry means it pays to use advanced
high-speed imaging systems, which allow engineers to
analyze missile launches, ballistics and material tests
Not all high-speed cameras are created
equal, especially when it comes to
imaging critical aspects of aerospace
tests that would otherwise remain invisible.
It’s important to select cameras that balance
variables like fast recording speeds, high
resolution and light sensitivity.
Vision Research’s ultra-high speed
Phantom v2640 and v2512 cameras were
recently used to successfully record very fast
testing conducted on fire extinguishing units,
while the compact mid-range Phantom VEOs
recorded testing on retractable springs,
where the required frame rate was not as
high. The tests shed light on each camera
family’s design and performance features.
Ameron Global Product Support, which
produces aviation safety components, tests
its fire suppression systems by shooting
50-caliber rounds at its extinguishers.
Because these units are used in military
aircraft, they must survive gunfire —
particularly, tumbling bullets.
Because speeding bullets are
imperceptible to the eye, Vision Research
supplied its Phantom v2640 and v2512 highspeed
cameras — the fastest four- and onemegapixel
cameras on the market,
respectively. The cameras strike a balance
between fast recording speeds and highresolution
— the v2640 achieves 6,600
frames per second (fps) at full 2048 x 1952
resolution, while the v2512 achieves
25,000fps at full 1280 x 800 resolution.
To record the gunfire, Ameron engineers
constructed a three-sided berm with a
backstop for the bullets and a ramp with a
rubber slab. Hitting this pad during the tests
caused the bullets to enter the fire
suppression vessels sideways — an effect
known as tumbling.
The team set up the cameras so that they
looked over one side of the berm. They
recorded the tests at 51,000fps with a
10-microsecond shutter. While most of the
maximum speed
vessels survived the gunfire, one
did break apart when it was
struck. Thanks to the high
speed footage, the team
could see where and how
the rupture occurred.
The self-activating,
extendable STACER
(spiral tube and
actuator for
controlled extension
and retraction)
spring is a popular
technology for
remote satellites. But
Hunter Spring
Products, the company
behind this device, has
never observed its
mechanics — until now.
The STACER is made from a
spiral-wound metal strip. When
deployed, it extends rapidly
under its own power into a fulllength,
self-supporting tube.
To see how exactly this fast-acting
device deploys, Vision Research supplied its
Phantom VEO 710 and VEO 640 high-speed
cameras, which enabled the engineers to
look at how the spring transitions from rest to
full extension.
The Phantom cameras use as much light
as possible so they were an ideal choice for
this application, which required the team to
see inside the canister as the spring exited.
The Phantom VEO 710, for example, features a
full-size, 1-megapixel CMOS sensor and
20-micron pixels — achieving high light
sensitivity at fast recording speeds.
The cameras also balance high recording
speeds and image quality — making them
truly unique. The Phantom VEO 710 features
frame rates over 7,000fps and 1 million fps at
reduced resolutions. For applications
requiring higher resolutions, the fourdelivering
96 MARCH 2020 \\ AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM
megapixel Phantom VEO 640 achieves over
1,400fps at full resolution.
Using the high-speed footage, the
engineers at Hunter Spring Products could
observe the springs’ transition from rest to
extension in greater detail. This enabled them
to observer that the spring resembles a
Chinese yo-yo, with the tip piece rolling
around the inside at high speeds. Thanks to
these insights, they’ve decided to change
how the STACER’s are tested. \\
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1 // The Phantom v2640
delivers maximum speed
high-definition imaging
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