Development of a reliable electro-mechanical actuator for primary control surfaces in small aircrafts

This paper lays the foundation for the development of an innovative electro-mechanical actuator for flight-control surfaces. The main features of the enhanced system will be the introduction of new sensor types and health monitoring capabilities. A dedicated test bench has been developed in order to perform endurance tests, leading the mechanical components to failure. In this view, a Condition Monitoring (CM) algorithm is expected to assess the progressive faults degradation, estimating their progression and the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of related subsystems. Based on the development of new hardware and software components, the REPRISE project is expected to deliver a significant contribution to the More Electric Aircraft mission.