Automated Aviation Propeller Blade Measurement System
Increases Measurement Accuracy Speed and Consistency
Accurate and Consistent
Aeroscan M5 is consistent and accurate. Get numbers that you can trust the first time, every time.
Save Time & Money
Manual measurements take time. Save time and money using an Aeroscan to return propellers to service faster.
Support
The Aeroscan M5 Blade Measurement System is durable and reliable. Support is available for annual calibrations, to resolve any issues, or repair damages.
The future of propeller blade measurement is here.
The Aeroscan machine is a cutting-edge tool designed to quickly and accurately measure propeller blade airfoils. It uses laser, proximity, and fiber-optic sensors to measures all five dimensions of the airfoil in one scan dramatically reducing labor cost and time required to measure aircraft propeller blades!
The time required to overhaul a propeller blade is based on many factors. Removing paint, removing boots, grinding, sanding, coating, painting, and many other processes. Propeller blades must be measured before and after these processes to insure they will meet the manufacturer’s minimum specifications.
Using traditional measurement methods can take up to an hour or more per blade each time a blade must be measured. The Aeroscan M5 machine reduces this time significantly by automating that process. Most blades can be measured in less than five minutes!
Example:
Let’s consider a four-bladed turbo propeller. For a propeller overhaul each blade must be measured. To manually measure, each takes about an hour. The total time is four hours before rework and then another four hours after rework for a total of about eight hours!
Compare that to using the Aeroscan M5 machine. Since process is almost completely automated, it takes 5 mins or less for most blades. The automation allows you to handle other tasks while scanning, further compounding productivity. The entire process – of both before and after rework scans – can be reduced to forty minutes or less, saving more than seven hours!
Compatibility:
The FAA has evaluated the Aeroscan M5 machine and has approved of it as an acceptable tool for measuring the airfoil of propeller blades. Here are some excerpts:
The Aeroscan M5 program is a computer-controlled tool that can be used to accurately measure complex aircraft propeller blade configurations. This measurement can be used to comply with requirements and limits set in the manufacturer’s maintenance manual.
The Chicago ACO witnessed a test of the calibration and operation of the Aeroscan M5 tool in accordance with Revision C to the Aeroscan M5 Operations Manual at Aircraft Propeller Service, Inc. The testing performed was successful and showed the program evaluating a number of blade stations in order to determine that the blade met the dimensional requirements called out in the propeller maintenance.
See How It Works:
Reports:
After the Aeroscan M5 measures a blade, that information is recorded in a convenient digital report. Reports can be printer or stored locally on the Aeroscan computer. These blade reports can be used for comparison between blades and checking if any blade is under limits!
Can the Aeroscan M5 machine measurement results be used to put a blade back in service?
The Aeroscan M5 machine is a tool just like any other. It is the operator’s responsibility to evaluate the Aeroscan M5 results and make a decision to either reject the blade or to accept the blade as serviceable. Periodically a ‘master’ blade is measured to insure that the Aeroscan M5 machine is returning accurate results. In this way the machine can be trusted to provide accurate measurement results.
Why should I use a propeller repair center that has an Aeroscan M5 machine?
Shops that use the Aeroscan M5 machine tend to be very accurate in their approach to overhauling aircraft propellers. The use of the Aeroscan M5 machine is an indication of this because this is a tool which requires careful calibration. Shops who have invested in an Aeroscan M5 machine show that they are very proud of their ability to perform the precision work necessary to return a aircraft components to service.
Does the Aeroscan M5 machine measure propeller blades more accurately than a technician using traditional measuring methods?
Yes, because the measurement is the same every time. The Aeroscan M5 machine is just that, a machine. It produces accurate results every time. A technician can produce accurate results but requires far more time to set up for each station and measure the five dimensions on each station.
Has the FAA evaluated and approved the Aeroscan M5 machine for use in the service of propellers?
Yes. The FAA has evaluated the Aeroscan M5 machine and has approved it as an acceptable tool for measuring the airfoil of propeller blades.
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