IAC Acoustics leads the market in both the design and build of test cells for uninstalled aero-engines and the adaptation and upgrading of existing test cells to give them the capability to handle new and/or different engine types.

IAC Acoustics serves military and civil aircraft operators as well as aero-engine manufacturers and maintenance, repair and operations (MROs). Uninstalled engine test facilities are ideal for the following engine types:

• turbo shaft
• turbo jet
• turbo fan
• turbo prop

While multi-engine testing is a common requirement, every aero-engine test cell from IAC is customised to suit a specific client need.

Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) provide a source of energy to start the main engines in most jet aircraft, military vehicles, rockets, and spacecraft. In addition, the APU can provide a supply of energy to non-propulsion systems when the main engine is non-operational.
Testing of such equipment is essential to ensure the reliability and functionality of the APU. In a typical test scenario, engineers ignite and power up the APU with different conditions to verify that thrust generation, fuel consumption, vibration, and other operational characteristics are conforming to design.
Engineers isolate APUs, which are high-powered engines, in a special cell of the test facility away from control equipment and personnel for operational safety. A typical APU test facility manages the process signals and transducers. These signals relate to the control and measurement of engine fuel, power, and speed.

A typical Aero-Engine Test Facility from IAC Global Aviation contains:

• State of the art data acquisition system
• Externally pumped and conditioned water cooling system
• Bulk fuel storage and fuel conditioning system
• Air conditioned control cabin
• Total acoustic engineering
• Ergonomically designed control console
• Power and mains distribution
• Neutral testing arrangement enabling differing engine types to be accommodated
• Fire protection system