Verification of the Method for Assessing Systematic Errors of the Bench for Calibrating Six-Component Strain-Gauge Balances

This article discusses systematic errors of the 6GS-40M calibration machine. This machine was designed at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute for the calibration of external and internal six-component strain-gauge balances with a maximum normal force of 40 kN. Based on the requirements of the aerodynamic characteristic errors of aircraft models during their tests in wind tunnels, the error of calibration benches, referred to as half the range of each of the six weight components on the bench, should not exceed 0.05%. A method was developed for the experimental evaluation of the systematic errors of the calibration machine, and such errors were determined. Previously derived analytical expressions for the systematic errors were verified using the obtained error values. We estimated the corrections to the loads set by the 6GS-40M calibration machine to external and internal six-component strain-gauge balances. The correction range was 0.09% to 0.90% for the different components of the balances. The developed experimental determination method of systematic errors may be used for other calibration machines.