Rate tables or turn tables are used to measure and calibrate inertial sensors and systems regarding angular rates or orientation in space, but they are not suitable to perform tests regarding linear motion or acceleration, as they are required for translational motion testing or tumbling motion testing under marine motion excitation.

To be able to test inertial sensors and systems or gimbals or gyro stabilized platforms regarding 6 DOF motion (roll, pitch, yaw as well as angular rates, acceleration, velocity and translational motion on all axes) during a FAT or within the development phase of new products, iMAR installed a powerfull hexapod. This hexapod can carry up to 1'000 kg payload and provides up to 1 g acceleration, up to +/- 450 mm displacement, up to 1 m/s speed, +/- 30 deg in roll / pitch / yaw and 50 deg/s angular rate. The hexapod is mounted in the new iMAR building C with access to the installed 5-to crane system for easy handling of the payloads.

The new hexapod completes the already available in-house testing equipment at iMAR, i.e. 40 kN vibration and shock test system, several multi-axes turntables and temperature chambers, centrifuge, 3D coordinate measuring machine, automatised (driverless) controlled automotive platform etc.       

Video of iIPSC-MSG-60 installed on iMAR's hexapod test facilities (70 MByte)   (c) iMAR Navigation GmbH