Toulouse. 13 June 2017. Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division that is now shipping early access units (EAU) of its next-generation compact Axon™ Data Acquisition Unit (DAU) for Flight Test applications. Axon combines unprecedented flexibility and scalability with outstanding reliability for demanding flight test applications.
The innovative modular Axon DAU builds on Curtiss-Wright’s heritage as a leading supplier of rugged reliable data acquisition. Optimized for size, weight and power (SWaP), Axon works seamlessly with Curtiss-Wright’s widely used Acra KAM-500 DAU chassis, while reducing volume by 55% and weight by 70%. Axon is ideal for use in aircraft Flight Test Instrumentation, Airborne Telemetry, Flight Data Monitoring and Space Data Handling applications.
“We are very excited to announce that we are now shipping early access units of our innovative new Axon data acquisition platform which lets Flight Test Instrumentation engineers lower the weight of equipment and wiring, gather more data, and meet demanding time schedules, all while ensuring that none of their critical data is lost during flight test,” said Lynn Bamford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Defense Solutions division. “With its miniature size and unprecedented flexible installation options, Axon lets flight test engineers place data acquisition in remote locations never previously possible. With the recent integration of our Ireland-based Acra and US-based Teletronics businesses, Curtiss-Wright is positioned to lead the aerospace data acquisition industry with unmatched quality and customer support, while bringing even larger system-level solutions to market.”
Designed to deliver maximum reliability, Axon’s hardware-based acquisition engines eliminate data loss, support deterministic operation, and ensure immediate recovery in the case of power brownout. Axon’s high-speed serial backplane (1 Gbps dedicated link per module) enables off-the-shelf data acquisition modules to be placed in ultra-miniature Axonite housings and located remotely, separated from the chassis by up to 20 meters. Locating data acquisition closer to the sensors can significantly decrease the installation time and cost of the instrumentation while simultaneously reducing wiring weight. Using Axonite housings (< 8 cubic inches in volume), flight test engineers can place their data acquisition hardware in any location on the flight test article. Further flexibility is provided by Axon’s dual Gigabit Ethernet outputs, which simplify the addition of Ethernet nodes or allow multiple DAU chassis to be daisy chained. An on-board processor speeds configuration, pre-flight checks, and in-service firmware upgrading.
