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Davidson's ability to provide a total package was the key to the company's recent success in winning a prized contract to supply condition monitoring equipment and services to the RAAF. The equipment is being used to monitor powertrain components on the FA-18 Hornet aircraft.

Managing Director Kevin Davidson said " The selection of our system confirms the strength we show in providing a total package solution. In addition to supplying the hardware and software, we were also contracted to provide support and training of RAAF personnel through to 2003.
The contract required Davidson Measurement to supply nine Emonitor Dataline DSP data collectors, two sets of Emonitor for Windows 98 software plus Data Base set up, installation, commissioning and on-going training.

The RAAF requirement was to source a condition monitoring system capable of detecting the early warning signs of bearing failure in each of the two gearboxes fitted to the FA-18 Hornet - anywhere and at any time.

The Emonitor® DSP dataline collector/analyser was the obvious solution. The units envelope signal processing (ESP™), said to be the most powerful technique available for clearly identifying faults in rolling element bearings, was ideally suited for the task. And the datalines modem capability meant that regardless of a planes location, data collected is readily down loaded to the squadrons analysing software at Williamtown, NSW for analysis by engineers.

The dataline units are carried by the fighter squadrons and used at regular intervals by flightline personnel. The system keeps a check on the condition of the bearings and other key powertrain components and gives a clear indication of the service life remaining in each gearbox.

Dataline DSP also provides an easy way to check that key powertrain components are correctly installed after overhaul as it is capable of detecting even minute levels of vibration and stress caused by an incorrectly fitted part.