LORD Corporation has announced the award of a two-year contract with The Boeing Company to integrate and qualify an Improved Vibration Control System (IVCS) for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
The purchase order was delivered and accepted in September of 2013 and a Preliminary Design Review was completed in January of 2014. Production is planned to start in 2016.
According to Stuart Hartwell, business development manager for LORD Global Aerospace & Defense, this contract expands the breadth of LORD product offerings that are focused on reducing vibration in the helicopter fuselage generated by the rotor system. “This IVCS equipment provides state-of-the-art performance and represents a major upgrade to the legacy vibration suppression system on this aircraft,” said Hartwell. “As a leader in active vibration control technology, LORD is expanding our business footprint at a critical time in the aviation industry.”
LORD IVCS is a state-of-the-art, patented system that controls steady state and transient vibration. The technology operates through the use of accelerometers that measure aircraft vibration levels. Signals are sent to a centralized computer that runs a software algorithm that interprets the data and sends commands to force generators located under the pilot seats. These force generators create “anti-vibration” that stops the progression of vibration due to the main rotor and creates a more comfortable vibration environment for the aircrew.
Bill Cerami, president, LORD Aerospace and Defense, noted that LORD has supplied Boeing with vibration control solutions for more than 50 years. In addition to this new contract, LORD Corporation supplies various aerospace components including vibration isolators, mounts and HCL Bearings to Boeing Defense, Space & Security for the CH47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache, and V-22 Osprey.
